


Confronting the Shadow

by NYC01234



Category: Naruto
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Assassination, Canon Compliant, Drama, Emotional Manipulation, Espionage, F/M, Female Uchiha Sasuke, Fuuinjutsu Master Uzumaki Naruto, Good Uchiha Sasuke, Hatake Kakashi is a Good Teacher, Mental Instability, Original Character(s), Politics, Slow Build, Slow Romance, Strong Haruno Sakura, Team Bonding, Violence, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:27:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 122,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27935453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYC01234/pseuds/NYC01234
Summary: Naruto Uzumaki and Sayuri Uchiha have more in common than they'd care to admit. After being thrust into the dangers of the world, they find solace in each other's company. However, their bond is soon put at risk when they are both forced to choose what they desire more — friendship or revenge? Will they endure? Or does fate have less savory plans for them?
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	1. A Genesis

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. All characters in this story, excluding those that are created by me, are the intellectual property of Masashi Kishimoto. Please show support by reading or watching the original source material.**

* * *

_Naruto swam through a dark miasma. He saw nothing. He felt nothing. Despite it all, he continued pushing in what he believed to be a forward direction, not knowing what was front, back, up, down, left, or right. It was like he was floating through an endless cloud of pure darkness, yet, what he was moving through was so tangible, feeling almost like cotton that had been soaked in tar._

_'Where am I?' he thought to himself, feeling weightless in both body and mind._

_Voices whispered from the darkness, saying all manner of things. Some of them sounded afraid, while others were promising violence. He paid them little mind, however, as he felt oddly disconnected from everything that was going on around him._

_This wasn't something that was completely unfamiliar to him. It was the very same voices that were always whispering in his mind whenever he tried to sleep. They would taunt and torment him, and in very extreme cases,_ were _even capable of wracking his body with immense waves of pain._

_Suddenly, the darkness split open in front of him, and a vile, crimson color glowed through. Out from the opening walked a man, cloaked entirely in black with his only discernible feature being a porcelain mask with a single opening for his right eye. Then, there was the eye itself, gleaming in the dark through the mask, as red as the light he had emerged from, with three black tomoe arranged in a way that resembled a pinwheel._

_"Who are you?" Naruto asked with an edge to his voice._

_The red opening in the darkness that the masked man had emerged from suddenly closed, leaving the area engulfed in darkness once more. Still, Naruto saw the man before him as clear as he would have in broad daylight. His presence wasn't seeming to be acknowledged, though, with the masked man looking forward at nothing in particular._

_"This is the man who took everything from you. Kill him."_

_The random voice the echoed over everything caused Naruto's eyes to widen immensely. It sounded like a multitude of voices speaking all at once, with various high and low pitches. The more he thought about it though, the more he felt as if it was something attempting to mimic human speech. On instinct, his knees bent as he entered a combat-ready stance. A razor-sharp kunai was also in his hand, poised to plunge itself into anyone that would attempt to do him harm._

_He glared, "Explain yourself. What are you?!"_

_Rather than receiving a verbal response, Naruto was assaulted with a multitude of visions that he couldn't quite fathom. He could hardly understand what exactly was going on, as he was only seeing snippets that were succeeding one another in rapid succession, but there was some kind of story being laid out before him._

_A child. A man with striking blue eyes and a mop of spiky blonde hair. A woman, as beautiful as any he had ever seen, with straight red locks that flowed down the length of her back like a river. The very same masked man he had been face-to-face with mere moments ago also made an appearance. There was a battle, a towering beast with nine tails, and copious amounts of bloodshed._

_Naruto collapsed to his knees. Much of what he had just been exposed to was a mystery to him, but he was no fool. He recognized the birthmarks on the face of the infant he had seen and was able to connect the dots._

_'My parents,' he thought to himself in awe. They resembled him too much not to be._

_"Kill him," the voice repeated again, reminding Naruto of the masked man what was still standing before him._

_Looking up toward the masked man once more, he was shocked to see a significant change. At his feet, were the bodies of his parents, with dead eyes and large puncture wounds in their chests. Rage filled Naruto's body like water pouring into a cup, but as he attempted to lunge forward to attack, he found that he was no longer able to move._

_Then, between himself in the masked man, another figure emerged from the shadowy ground. This one, he recognized clear as_ day, _and seeing her nearly made his eyes fill with tears. She was a rather plain-looking girl, with brown hair and black eyes. However, to Naruto, she was perfect._

_"What happened to me wasn't your fault, Naruto. It was his!" she said, before turning around to point at the masked man, who still had yet to move. "If he didn't do what he did, that monster would have never been put in your belly. I wouldn't have died! It's all his fault!"_

_Naruto felt his calmness faltering, "W-Wait. Don't go near him!" he shouted, trying to reach out to her, but to no avail._

_The girl then faded away, as did the masked man. Now once again left alone in the dark haze, Naruto found himself distraught, and more confused than he had been before entering whatever this place was. He allowed himself to fall forward, but he hit no ground surface of any kind and entered a free fall through the darkness._

_"Kill him."_

_And with that, he woke up._

* * *

**~Confronting the Shadow: Chapter One~**

* * *

" **A Genesis"**

"...and Team Seven, under the leadership of Kakashi Hatake, will consist of Sayuri Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Naruto Uzumaki."

The announcement was drowned out in a sea of noisy children, but the three students in question were able to hear it clear as day. The configuration was odd, seeing as their team was made up of the best male student, and the two highest-rated female students. Most of the other teams had a ratio of one girl for every two boys, so this new 'Team Seven' was somewhat unique in that regard.

"How troublesome," a lazy voice near the back of the class chimed in. "Naruto has to be on a team with two girls. I feel bad for him."

The boy's comment earned him quite an earful from the blonde, Ino Yamanaka, sitting at his side, "Shut up, Shikamaru!" she growled with a fury that didn't quite look right on her rather pretty face. "If anything, we girls should be the ones complaining about always having to be on teams with two boys!"

"Yeah!" another girl in the classroom shouted. She was soon followed by other shouts of agreement from the female portion of their class, minus, of course, Sayuri and Sakura, with the latter being too shy to get involved and the former not caring at all in the first place.

The entire affair quickly sparked a heated argument between most of the boys and the girls in their class, with Kiba Inuzuka and Ino being the de facto leaders of both sides. Funny enough, the boy who had unintentionally started the conflict, Shikamaru Nara, had his head rested on his desk in a deep slumber as the utter chaos unfolded around him. It made Sayuri wonder if he had stirred up trouble on purpose.

Over the loud arguing, as well as the sound of Iruka-sensei attempting to play the mediator, Sayuri noticed a hushed voice nearby trying to get her attention. It was her new teammate, Sakura, a somewhat intelligent girl with long, flowing pink hair and emerald green eyes. She wasn't the most exceptional fighter in the class, but her academic scores were by far the highest, which was what put her as the second-ranked kunoichi in the class.

"I hope we can work well together, Sayuri," the pink-haired girl addressed, evidently carefully considering her every word in a showing of respect.

Sayuri nodded in acknowledgment before returning to her thoughts. She supposed she could have done worse than Sakura. Had she been forced onto a team with Kiba or Ino – or god forbid both – she would have quickly lost her mind. Sakura's shyness was advantageous in that way.

"Um, do you think maybe we should begin talking with Naruto soon? You know, to develop good teamwork?" Sakura continued, for some reason, thinking Sayuri was interested in getting along. Did the pink-haired girl know that she was an Uchiha? Being friends wasn't her thing.

Still, the mention of Naruto's name was enough to cause Sayuri to glance her shoulder to the back-right corner of the room. There sat the blonde in question, at his usual spot, far back and adjacent to the window. His cheek was rested in his palm, and he gazed out the window with seemingly little care for the conflict in the classroom. It made it difficult to tell whether he was aloof or simply a daydreamer.

Sayuri's eyes narrowed in scrutiny as she continued to observe her new teammate. It was tough to gauge just how strong he actually was just through his appearance alone. The only reason he stood out from the other students in the class was his spiky blonde hair, and the strange whisker-like markings on his face. He also wore an orange sleeveless jacket with a blue short-sleeved t-shirt underneath, and matching orange pants that extended to his mid-calf, along with blue shinobi sandals. Uniquely, he also wore white wristbands on each wrist with a red swirl symbol — the same symbol on the back of chūnin and jōnin vests. Outside of that, he looked like an ordinary kid.

Despite being the number one male student in class, Naruto didn't receive much of any attention from the girls. Most were wary of him for unexplained reasons, and opted to keep their distance. This apparently suited him fine, as he seemed comfortable just being by himself. Sayuri supposed he was similar to her in that regard. Yet, unlike her, he didn't radiate a dark aura that naturally pushed people away. Therefore, it was difficult to pinpoint why he was avoided by so many people.

One thing she did know about him, however, was that he was strong. Throughout all of her years in the Academy, she witnessed him mow through the other boys in class with no effort whatsoever. His taijutsu was impeccable, augmented even further by his incredible strength, precision, and, most of all, speed. Shamed as she was to admit it, she had trouble keeping up with his movements at times.

"Well, either way, I'd say we're lucky to have a teammate like him," Sakura concluded, unaware that Sayuri's attention was elsewhere.

Sayuri scoffed as Iruka-sensei announced to the class that they were all being released for lunch. Sakura was talking about Naruto as if he was some kind of lucky charm – like his presence was something that should make them grateful. He wasn't all that special. She, more so than perhaps anyone, knew what a true genius was, after all. Naruto couldn't even begin to hold a candle to him.

Once the rest of the class started leaving for lunch, Sayuri took it as her cue to do the same. Just as she began to descend the steps, she felt something press against the back of her neck. Her eyes widened, and faster than most could blink, she spun around and grabbed the offender's arm. Much to her surprise, she immediately found herself staring into two icy-blue eyes.

"Sayuri Uchiha," Naruto greeted with a grin. Sayuri gripped his hand with a surprising amount of force for someone her age, and yet, he showed no visible reaction to the pain. "I got you there, didn't I? Come on, admit it. You didn't even feel me behind you."

Sayuri glared. She was angry with her new teammate, yes, but she was mostly upset at herself, "Well, you've got my full attention now," she responded, her voice as chilly as the blue eyes that she stared into so intensely.

Naruto's smile widened slightly, and while the slight curling of his lip was small – almost unnoticeable – there was an apparent arrogance to it that Sayuri immediately found to be rather familiar. It was clear that he didn't register her as a threat, and that he was apparently attempting to establish some kind of pecking order now that they were on the same team.

"That could have easily been the edge of a kunai against the back of your neck, rather than the tip of my fingers," Naruto commented, nodding toward the hand the Sayuri currently had in her grasp. "In other words, it would have been game over for you."

The tension between them increased tenfold, to the point where anyone that was still in the classroom decided that now was the time to make a hasty exit. Sayuri gripped Naruto's wrist even harder, to the point where she could actually feel his bones start to creak. Still, he continued to just smile like an asshole.

"N-Naruto, Sayuri, please don't fight," Sakura intervened, sounding predictably timid. "We've only been teammates for five minutes, and this isn't exactly the best start."

As if acknowledging her presence for the first time, Naruto glanced in Sakura's direction. He gave her an appraising look, and it was clear that he did not view her as a person that had any business telling him what to do. His attention just as quickly returned to Sayuri.

"I'm not like the others you've fought," Sayuri coldly declared, ignoring Sakura entirely. "And you'll find out personally if you ever touch me again."

Naruto didn't seem to be all that intimidated by her threat, as it was clear that he didn't take her very seriously. Once that was all said and done, Sayuri released his wrist from her grasp and left the classroom without so much as another word. Now, only Naruto and Sakura remained, with the latter of the two looking as if she were a rabbit in the presence of fox.

"So, do you want to get lunch or something?" Sakura asked Naruto with a nervous chuckle, causing Naruto to sigh, almost comically. He supposed not all girls could be like Sayuri.

* * *

After finishing their lunches, the students returned to the classroom where they would finally be meeting their jōnin leaders. As fifteen minutes passed, various jōnin entered the room, calling out to their teams before they and their new students left soon after. Most looked as uninteresting as the students they were picking up, almost as if they were background characters in someone else's story.

With each group that was allowed to leave, Sayuri became more and more frustrated as she was beginning to get the sneaking suspicion that her team would be the last to be picked up. Her teammates seemed to pick up on this as well. Sakura seemed more nervous than upset, and Naruto didn't seem to mind at all, more content to simply stare out of the window.

Eventually, as she predicted, they were the last group of students in the room. In fact, they had been waiting so long that Iruka-sensei actually left to go home, leaving them completely alone in the classroom. It was the quietest Sayuri had ever recalled the room being, and quite frankly, it felt odd. She would have assumed that the silence would have made her feel comfortable, but it only served to make her uneasy.

Finally, after well over an hour of waiting, the sliding doors at the right of the room opened, and the man that they could only assume to be their sensei revealed himself. He was a rather odd-looking fellow with spiky gray, almost silver, hair, a mask covering the entire lower portion of his face, and a Hidden Leaf headband that was tilted down to cover up the entirety of his left eye.

Naruto and Sakura looked him up and down, whereas Sayuri glanced toward him through his peripheral vision. While initially, the jōnin didn't look all that impressive, both Sayuri and Naruto seemed to tense up when they noticed something distinct about him. This man's presence was the kind only developed after years of training and countless battles. He felt so different than any of the Academy instructors, who by the looks of thing weren't all that far away from him in age.

"Hmm, how odd," their new sensei muttered, just loudly enough for them to hear. "I think I may actually like you guys. Nice and quiet."

The statement seemed to put a smile on Sakura's face, who was clearly happy to have made an excellent first impression. Sayuri couldn't really bring herself to care and was about to ask him why he was so late, but paused, realizing that there was likely no point in doing so anyway. He had the look of a layabout. That was all the explanation that she required.

Naruto was the first to stand up, and he descended the steps with his hands resting behind his head. As he did, Kakashi's lone eye seemed to follow him intently. This was done with a level of intrigue that Sayuri couldn't quite pin. Maybe he was just particularly interested in the number one ranked student? It wouldn't really come as a surprise to her, especially because Naruto was a boy. Society tended to view male shinobi as having more potential than kunoichi, so they were usually taken more seriously.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road," Naruto remarked in a rather laidback manner. "You're pretty late, ya know?"

The gray-haired jōnin tilted his head as he stared down at the much shorter boy, "Was I?" he asked. "I had to wrap up all of my daily errands before coming here. You know? Buying groceries, watering the plants, that kind of stuff."

Naruto smiled at the comment, clearly seeing what his sensei was trying to do, "Ah. So, you're saying that we're less important than grocery shopping?"

"Not really outright saying...more like implying."

The corner of Naruto's mouth seemed to twitch in what appeared to be a brief crack in his facade. Sakura was quick to stand up as well and change the subject with a polite greeting. Sayuri watched as the developing tension died almost immediately and couldn't help but make a mental note of the fact that Sakura seemed to be a natural mediator. That would be useful, since Naruto appeared to have a habit of seeking conflict with others.

"Well, I think it's about time we do introductions," Kakashi mumbled, more to himself. "All right, team! Meet me on the roof in a minute flat."

Then, before their very eyes, he disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

"A body flicker!" Sakura observed in awe, clearly having never seen one in person before. "That's an advanced level transportation jutsu."

Naruto seemed mildly interested as well, and Sayuri would be lying if she said it wasn't something she'd love to have in her arsenal. But, remembering their new sensei's instructions, they each got up from their seats and began the trek up to the roof. They had to go up many flights of stairs, and it was clear that the time frame he had given them to make it to the top was actually impossible.

What an asshole.

Eventually, though, they did make it to the top, only to find their new sensei leaning against the rails, looking both amused and bored at the same time (how that was possible, she'd never know). After they all sat down, he introduced himself as Kakashi Hatake, and asked everyone to give their own introductions, including their likes, dislikes, and dreams for the future. Though, when prompted to go first by Sakura, he revealed next to nothing about himself.

Naruto was chosen first. He rested his chin on his palm and hummed in apparent thought, "Well, as you all already know, I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I like fighting and training, and what I hate isn't really any of your business. I don't think about dreams or goals all that much, but I guess mine would be to surpass the Fourth Hokage."

Sayuri noticed Kakashi's eye linger on Naruto a bit before he then shifted his attention to Sakura. This was the second time since meeting him that she was able to notice that he had a particular interest in Naruto. At first she figured it was just due to his Academy scores, but now she was beginning to think that it was something more.

As Sakura began with her introduction, Sayuri's eyes wandered as she felt herself losing interest. As she did, she noticed Naruto glancing at her from the corner of his eye. The two stared at one another for a few moments before Naruto did something that made Sayuri's blood boil. He winked at her. It was a simple gesture but based on his smile it was obvious that he was doing it to get under her skin – and despite herself, it worked as she felt the need to take his head off then and there.

"And your turn...that is, if you can actually talk?" Kakashi said to Sayuri, interrupting her thoughts and causing her scowl to deepen.

"My name is Sayuri Uchiha," she introduced with a tone that belayed little enthusiasm. "I hate a lot of things, and I don't particularly like anything. What I have is not a dream, because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan, and kill a certain man."

The immediate reaction to her introduction was silence. Only Sakura appeared surprised, whereas Naruto stared at her intently, and Kakashi showed no apparent reaction. It was essentially what she had expected, but she paid it no mind. None of them could understand her motivations, even if they wanted to.

There wasn't much more to their first team meeting other than that, well, unless you counted the revelation that they weren't actually genin yet. Kakashi explained that there was a second test, a survival exercise, that would decide whether or not they would be sent back to the Academy. He then warned them not to eat breakfast, before vanishing in another body flicker.

Sayuri narrowed her eyes in determination. There was no way she was being sent back. She had far too much to do.

* * *

They had been told to arrive at the training ground just after dawn, but even after four hours of waiting, Kakashi had yet to arrive. As usual, Naruto was lazing about, minding his own business. Unlike her seemingly unperturbed teammate, Sayuri was beginning to get frustrated with their new jōnin sensei's tardiness...and surprisingly, Sakura was as well.

"Four...hours," Sakura muttered to herself, clearly exhausted after waking up so early. "He's made us wait for four hours."

Naruto, who was casually relaxing up on one of the tree branch, decided to chime in, "Loosen up a bit, ladies," he remarked without opening his eyes. "It could be a part of his test, ya know?"

The thought actually made Sayuri narrow her eyes. Could he be right? Could Kakashi have been watching them this whole time, wondering if they'd be capable of sensing his presence? If that were the case, he was completely hidden from view. Sayuri was no expert sensor or tracker by any means, so if there was any weakness she had, even if it were small, it was that.

"How do you manage it, Naruto?" Sakura asked, her head resting in her arms. "You don't seem tired at all."

Yes, Sayuri found that a bit odd as well. Naruto didn't seem like the early-bird type, and yet, he was the only one who seemed unaffected by the lack of sleep. Naruto flinched almost unnoticeably at the question. Almost. Sayuri had keen eyes and could notice such things instantly.

"The secret is finding time to relax throughout the day. I can't recommend the hot springs enough. They do a lot for relieving stress and helping you unwind," Naruto replied with a wink, which told Sayuri that he was probably bullshitting. He then shifted onto his elbow and turned to face them. "You hear that, Sayuri? Take the hint."

Sayuri felt her brow twitch in anger and was about to respond, but was interrupted as Kakashi appeared out of nowhere before them. His sudden appearance shocked the group of genin, who instantly prepared for the possibility of an ambush by the much more experienced jōnin.

"Sorry I'm late," Kakashi said, scratching the back of his head. "A black cat crossed my path, so I had to take the long way."

Naruto, Sakura...and yes, even Sayuri...slumped forward in a mixture of shock and exasperation. This guy was unreal, and thus far had done an excellent job at subverting all of their expectations at seemingly every turn. Expect him to be on time? He's late twice in a row. Think you have his personality pegged? He'll go from serious to ridiculous at the flip of a switch.

Oh...and he was also a dick too.

"Alright, alright," the masked jōnin said. "It seems that it's time to get started." He had been watching them for the past 20 minutes. He wanted to see how they acted when nobody was watching. He was unsurprised to see that Sakura was pleasant enough on her own, but it seemed that Naruto and Sayuri would be the problems in when it came to teamwork.

He pulled a pair of bells from his pouch, reveling in the looks of confusion on the young academy student's faces. "As you can see, I have two bells in my hand. They're kind of cool, right?"

His students were unimpressed.

"Tough crowd," Kakashi mumbled under his breath. "Alright! The goal of this exercise is for each of you to take one of these bells from me."

His three students perked up at hearing that. However, after hearing his declaration, they were all confused.

"Sensei?" Sakura asked in trepidation. "There are only two bells, and yet, there are three of us."

"Very impressive, Sakura, you can count," Kakashi said. "However, as complicated as that might have been, it wasn't part of the test, so no points for you."

He found a disturbing amount of pleasure at seeing the pink-haired girl's angry expression. It seemed that even polite, little Sakura could become enraged after an early morning with no food in her belly.

"Alright, as stimulating as this conversation has been, let's move on," the gray-haired jōnin said. "Since there are two bells, it means that only two of you will pass, and the other will be going back to the Academy."

The eyes of each of his three students widened in shock...even Sayuri's. What a creepily dull kid.

"You'll need to come at me with the intent to kill if you wish to succeed," Kakashi added. "You have until noon. Oh! I almost forgot. The one who fails will be tied to one of those three stumps. And they'll have to watch everyone else eat. However, if you all fail, you'll all be tied to the stumps. And you'll have to watch me eat."

As their sensei said this, their stomachs growled. So that was why he'd asked them to skip breakfast? What an asshole.

"Your time begins now. Start!" the jōnin said. As soon as he said this, his students jumped from the clearing, into the trees. Well...all but one.

Kakashi nearly felt the need to scratch his head when Naruto simply remained standing across from him. Admittedly, he already knew that the kid was a bit...different, but still, he expected him to use his opportunity to hide. This was either confidence or stupidity, which were often confused for one another because they were essentially the same thing.

"You could...I don't know...hide if you want," Kakashi casually advised. "In fact, I'd recommend it."

"I hear what you're saying, but then I'd just have to find you later," was the casual response he received from the blonde genin. "I'd rather just get this over with now and on my terms."

For a brief moment, Kakashi felt as if he was standing before a younger version of himself. Funny enough, when first given the bell test by his own sensei years ago, Kakashi had arrogantly challenged him as well. This Naruto kid was smart and talented, and based on his demeanor, he knew that better than anyone. Yep, it was like looking through a window to the past.

Kakashi then easily dodged the barrage of shuriken that came his way, weaving through them with the skill of a virtuoso. Right behind them came Naruto, who attempted a strike that would have hit Kakashi directly in his solar plexus. With relative ease, Kakashi was able to catch the closed fist in his palm but felt his hand erupt in pain as he did so. Jeez, the kid hit like a sledgehammer.

'And here I thought I'd be able to get some reading in today,' he thought to himself before ducking back to avoid a head-kick.

After having top scores in all fields of shinobi combat back at the Academy, it was no surprise really that his new student was turning out to be such a gem. If not for the fact that the Hokage raised the Academy graduation age to twelve, Kakashi was confident that this boy, as well as the Uchiha girl, could have both qualified for early promotions based on scores alone. Now it was time to put them to the test.

'Hm, what an impressive kid,' Kakashi thought to himself. 'Guess I'll need to crank it up a bit.'

Suddenly, Naruto vanished in a flash of speed, causing Kakashi's single eye to widen in surprise. In the nick of time, he managed to turn around and block a kick that would have struck him in the temple. Brutal strength, remarkable speed, and the skill to use it all effectively. This kid was definitely top of his class for a reason...but it still wouldn't be enough.

Naruto's eyes widened when his ankle was gripped tightly, preventing him from getting out of striking range. Kakashi reared back his right hand and prepared to deal a devastating blow to the now immobilized genin. If the kid wanted to be taken seriously, then Kakashi would up the pressure a bit.

With his hands still free, in the brief moment that he had, Naruto seemed to realize that continuing hand-to-hand combat in his current predicament would be pointless, so he went through a string of hand seals that made Kakashi's lone eye widen with shock.

"Tora → Mi → Ne → Mi → Tora," the boy muttered, accentuating each of the five head seals with their individual name. "Water Style: Water Wall!"

Immediately after, a stream of water was expelled from Naruto's mouth, forming a wall that forced Kakashi to release his leg, stopping the punch in its tracks. Using Kakashi's surprise to his advantage, Naruto quickly reached for the bells. His fingers just managed to graze the metal of the bells before Kakashi jumped back, creating distance.

Kakashi, other than getting slightly wet, didn't appear to be winded at all, "Hmm, who taught you an elemental jutsu? Genin aren't supposed to be able to use those," he said, casually, as if unimpressed. Though, deep down, he was shocked by the display.

"That's a secret," Naruto replied with a cheeky smile. "Maybe I'll tell you if you show me what you're hiding behind that mask?"

His lone eye then scrunched up in amusement at the boy's bravado, "There's a reason that confidence and stupidity are often interchangeable, you know?"

Naruto quickly flashed through another set of hand seals. This time, it was the sign of the tiger, ox, tiger, and rat. Well aware of the particular jutsu, Kakashi slammed his hands onto the surface of the ground. Just as he did, another torrent of water was expelled from Naruto's mouth; though, in this case, its shape resembled that of a cannonball.

Before Naruto's attack could make contact, however, a wall of earth rose from the ground in front of Kakashi, ultimately protecting him from any damage whatsoever. Naruto's eyes narrowed at the display. Water style jutsu were weakest against earth style. Kakashi appeared to be well versed in the elemental form which perfectly opposed his. What poor luck.

As much as he hated to admit it, he had few options left, 'Time to retreat and plan my next move,' he thought to himself. Just thinking about it made his skin crawl, but this was a jōnin, after all, not some academy loser like all of his other opponents.

He crouched in preparation to jump back into the trees but was shocked when he felt his instincts alerting him to danger. Immediately on edge, he surveyed the area but saw nothing. Then, out of nowhere, two hands burst from the ground below him, before gripping his ankles tightly and pulling him underground, leaving only his head above the surface.

A few feet away, Kakashi casually popped out from the ground before slowly making his way toward Naruto. He crouched before the blonde genin and gave him an almost taunting smile.

"That was Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu," he explained in a matter of fact tone.

Kakashi's expression then grew a bit more serious, "You might be a bit different than most genin," he said in acknowledgement of the boy's skills. "But in all the wrong ways. At this rate, you won't achieve much of anything as a shinobi – even with all of your talent."

All he received in response was a look of frustration. Hmm, apparently Naruto wasn't in the mood for jests anymore? Who would have thought?

Sighing with apparent boredom, Kakashi simply walked past Naruto's incapacitated body and into the woods, seemingly in search of the other two genin prospects. As he did, Naruto attempted with all of his might to wrench himself from the ground but found that even with his incredible strength, he was trapped with seemingly no way out.

Deciding that he was left with no real options, he gritted his teeth in frustration.

* * *

"It seems that I've found you," Kakashi teased, his book still in his hand as he landed in front of Sayuri.

They were in a small clearing in the woods, a decent distance away from where the training exercise had begun. Despite her best efforts, she had failed to evade the much more experienced jōnin. The fact that he didn't even seem to be trying made her grit her teeth in irritation.

"I'm not like the others," Sayuri explained, calm despite her circumstances. "I'll be talking one of those bells now."

Kakashi chuckled a bit to himself, clearly reminded of his previous opponent, "Feel free to try, it is the point of the exercise, after all."

Not unlike Naruto early, she darted forward with an agility that was impressive considering her age and rank. If Kakashi were honest, it was clear that she was arguably just as skilled as Naruto when it came to taijutsu, with the only thing separating them being the blond's insane physical gifts.

'It seems she won't let me read either,' Kakashi thought to himself as he was once again not even given a chance to enjoy his favorite novel. He then quickly had to block an ax kick that would have hit the top of his head. 'And she's fierce as well.'

Shock overtook him for the second time today when she also managed to touch one of the bells. He then grabbed hold of her wrists before tossing her away rather easily. Waiting for her to make the next move, he wasn't surprised when she landed on her feet with cat-like grace. He was, however, surprised when she began weaving through a familiar set of hand signs.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu," she uttered before launching a torrent of flames from her mouth.

The jutsu appeared to hit him head-on, and Sayuri could not keep herself from smirking. A nagging voice in the back of her mind asked why he chose not to dodge when he was clearly capable of doing so, but for the most part, she was just proud of landing a blow.

Her eyes widened though when a familiar voice spoke up from behind her.

"Isn't it odd? I just had a very similar encounter with your teammate just a few minutes ago," Kakashi commented matter of factly, though there was a bit of amusement lacing his tone. "Which is funny considering you just said that you're not like the others. You all seem about the same so far."

It took a moment before she was able to break out of her shocked stupor, but before she could turn to attack him, she felt a strike make contact with the back of her neck, and everything went black. After delivering the lighting-fast neck chop, Kakashi looked down at the unconscious genin below before his lone visible eye crinkled up in amusement as he admired his handiwork.

"I enjoy this far more than I should."

* * *

"I have a feeling he enjoyed doing that," Naruto complained before attempting to rip himself free from his earthly prison for the umpteenth time.

The idea that he had actually been defeated was humiliating enough, but how it occurred made it much worse. Defeat against a jōnin was to be expected, but it seemed as if Kakashi was taking extra measures to ensure that his loss was more demeaning than necessary.

Just as he prepared for yet another fruitless attempt to escape, he heard a familiar voice in the distance. It was Sakura, shouting and seemingly trying to find him and Sayuri. Initially, he was a bit disheartened to hear her voice, and he nearly remained silent so she wouldn't find him in such an embarrassing position. Then, he realized that the only other person who could possibly help him was Sayuri, so he decided to settle for what he was getting.

"I'm over here!" Naruto shouted. He almost immediately heard her delighted response as she signaled that she was on her way.

Contrary to what she might think, Naruto had always been aware of her, even before the foundation of their team. While most considered him to be distant and aloof, he was actually quite observant of his peers. Sakura wasn't really a part of any particular social circle, and much like he did, she kept to herself; however, her secluded nature was due more to her shyness than anything else.

Outside of her academics, Sakura was painfully average in just about everything. Ninjutsu, genjutsu, taijutsu, shurikenjutsu, all no better or no worse than most of the students in their class. It was this well-roundedness that earned her some of the highest marks in their class. Only he and Sayuri were above her in the rankings.

When he heard he finally saw Sakura burst out of the treeline he smiled and prepared to say something clever, but paused when he noticed the completely stupefied look on her face, "Sakura?" he inquired, which made her take a shaky step back.

"N-Naruto, is this one of Kakashi-sensei's genjutsu?" she asked through shaky breaths. "Where's your body?"

He simply blinked as a drop of sweat dripped down his brow.

"There is no genjutsu. I'm stuck underground," he explained, internally rolling his eyes. "How about you help me out?"

Sakura blushed in embarrassment, "Of course. I totally didn't think that you were a talking severed head or something like that," she said before laughing nervously.

"Of course you didn't," Naruto responded, his voice riddled with sarcasm. "Now, are you going to get me out of here or what?"

Sakura nodded like an obedient child and quickly hustled over to him. For a few moments, she observed his predicament, clearly in some attempt to figure out what to do. Then, there was a glint in her eyes, one that made Naruto somewhat nervous. She then reached behind her back and dug around her weapons pouch before smiling when she apparently found what she was looking for.

Naruto's eyes widened to astronomical proportions when she pulled out an explosive tag.

"Hey, hey, hey, what are you going to do with that?" he asked, his voice hurried and clearly nervous.

Surprisingly, she ignored him in favor of surveying the surrounding area. Then, with her tongue slightly sticking out in concentration, she began taking slow, measured steps in his opposite direction. He could hear her softly counting her steps under her breath. Naruto then began to sweat profusely as he realized what she was trying to do.

"How much experience do you have with paper bombs?" he asked.

Sakura kneeled to the ground and carefully place the explosive, "Not much," she admitted. "But in class, we did learn about the average blast radius of an explosion produced by a paper bomb, so from this distance at worst you shouldn't be harmed all that badly."

Shouldn't be harmed all that badly? What the hell was that supposed to mean?!

At this point, Naruto was left speechless as Sakura gave him a wave before jogging back into the woods, where she could detonate the paper bomb without risking her own safety. Now, he couldn't see Sakura whatsoever, which only made things worse since now he wouldn't even be given the courtesy of knowing when the damned explosive tag was going to literally blow up in his face.

"So are you going to count down from three or-"

Before he could finish, the paper bomb exploded, practically blinding him and ringing his ears in the process. What surprised him the most was the degree of heat that he felt on his face, which was to the point where he could swear that he smelled burning hair. Other than that, all of his other senses seemed to abandon him in the flash of heat.

The first thing he heard as the ringing in his ears subsided was his own involuntary coughing. Then, his eyes were eventually able to focus back on his surroundings, though he was keenly aware of the fact that his eyes were now susceptible to the brightness of the sun. Annoyingly enough, one of the first things he saw was Sakura practically skipping toward him.

"Did it work?" she shouted inquisitively.

Naruto glared at her approaching form, "Thankfully, no," he snapped, rather uncharacteristically. Though looking back, it was honestly an appropriate reaction to nearly being blown up. "Your obvious plan to murder me didn't work at all."

Sakura scratched the back of her head in obvious embarrassment before leaning forward and grabbing Naruto's shoulder. Due to the explosion, much of the ground surrounding him was destroyed, essentially leaving him in a pile of rubble. With a soft grunt of effort, she pulled with all over her might, and Naruto was finally freed.

Now that he was finally able to move his body, Naruto was quick to shrug Sakura's hand off of his shoulder before standing to his feet. Remembering that he was currently working on a deadline, he looked to the sun and narrowed his eyes when he realized that there wasn't that much time until noon.

"Um, so should we try to find Sayuri now?" Sakura asked, a bit tentatively. Now that Naruto was free and no longer in need of her help, she felt her usual shyness begin to kick in.

For a moment, she thought that he hadn't heard what she said, but when she made to ask the question again, Naruto leaped into the trees without a word. Taking that as his answer, Sakura was quick to follow.

* * *

The moment Sayuri's eyes snapped back open, she was back up to her feet, immediately assuming a defensive position. She ignored the dull pain in the back of her neck as her eyes scanned the surrounding area. Surprisingly, Kakashi now appeared to be gone, and she quickly realized that she had been defeated, and easily at that. The very thought humiliated her.

'You're weak...Your hate's not strong enough...You're not strong enough,' a familiar voice echoed inside of her mind. Izumi was quick to shake her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts. The last thing she needed to be thinking about at a time like this was _him_.

"Sayuri! Sayuri, are you out there?!"

It was the voice of Sakura that eventually succeeded in breaking Sayuri out of her self-loathing trance. It was distant, to the point where she couldn't accurately pinpoint where it was coming from, yet close enough to where she could tell that her teammate was growing ever closer. Sayuri weighed the option of merely leaving, but in the end, she decided that there wouldn't be any harm in humoring Sakura.

She regretted her decision the moment she saw that HE was with her as well.

"Finally, we found you!" Sakura exclaimed with a smile as she and Naruto emerged from the trees.

Sayuri took note of Naruto's condition and was able to see that he was pretty roughed up. She very nearly smirked at the news that he had clearly gotten his ass handed to him, but at that moment, she was reminded of her own defeat. So, in the end, her face contorted into a scowl – an expression that looked a though it fit perfectly on her face. She was an Uchiha, after all. They probably invented scowling.

"What are you two doing here?" she demanded. "Where's Kakashi?"

Naruto gave both Sayuri and the clearing a quick look over before responding, "Not sure, but after looking at you, it's obvious that he was just here."

Unable to tell if the comment was an insult or merely an observation, Sayuri chose to view it as the former rather than the latter, since that fell more in line with what she had observed from Naruto's personality thus far. She took a step forward and prepared to levy an insult his way, but was stopped when Sakura brought herself between the two of them in a surprising gesture.

"Alright, you two, now I get that you don't like each other all that much, but we have more important things to worry about right now," she exclaimed. "This is the test that will decide whether or not we become genin. We've been working our whole lives to reach this goal, so now isn't the time for your silly arguments."

Both Naruto and Sayuri were likely too astounded by the outburst to respond right away. Sakura was demonstrating a level of confidence that she had never revealed during her time in the Academy. A day ago, if someone told Sayuri that Sakura Haruno was going to stand up to the top two students in the class, she'd think they were crazy.

Surprisingly, it was Naruto who responded first, "She's right," he admitted. "But what's even the point? There are only two bells anyway. If we work together, only two of us will pass."

He raised a fair point. What was the point of working together if one of them was going to end up failing anyway? No matter how you sliced it, one of them would be getting the short end of the stick. They all had dreams, and while they were all undoubtedly different from one another, becoming genin was step one for all of them. So what would they do?

"We'll sort it out after we get the bells," Sakura spoke up. "There's no point in worrying about who gets a bell when we haven't even stolen them yet."

Neither Naruto or Sayuri spoke, but it was clear that they were in agreement. Seeing everyone finally willing to cooperate with one another made Sakura smile. Admittedly, she hadn't expected Naruto and Sayuri to agree to work together, seeing as they were both so stubborn – and, quite frankly, arrogant as hell.

"We'll need a plan then," Naruto said before glancing at Sakura. "Well? Any ideas, brainiac?"

Sakura smirked, choosing to interpret the "brainiac" remark as a compliment.

* * *

Kakashi leaned against a rather large tree at the center of the training ground as he read from his favorite book. Make-Out Paradise was a gripping tale where the main character and heroine, both new to love, begin dating, and their eyes gradually open to grown-up love. It was a classic coming of age story that could appeal to almost anyone. It also had some rather juicy moments that kept the blood flowing and provided a sense of primal enjoyment.

"Master Jiraiya, you truly outdid yourself with this masterpiece," he murmured. "Hopefully the sequel will hold a candle to the original."

He continued to read, even as he narrowly avoided a shuriken aimed for his head. In the corner of his eye, he could see Naruto charging out of the treeline, and when he saw that the boy was alone, he sighed. He'd hoped that they would have decided to work together by this point. In the history of him giving out this test, none of the candidates seemed to figure that out for themselves, unfortunately.

"Seems like someone managed to drag themselves out of the ground," Kakashi remarked with an eye-smile. "How was that, by the way? Personally, I've never gotten caught in such a humiliating jutsu. Was it humbling?"

Kakashi was immediately forced to avoid a spinning kick that then transitioned into a punch, which he efficiently managed to block. The kid was good, but after being surprised by his skill the first time, fighting him again was child's play. Subtly slipping the book into his pocket, Kakashi used his now free hand to grab Naruto's ankle and slam the boy into the ground. With a groan, Naruto quickly recovered and rolled away, creating distance.

Then, in a surprising turn of events, Sayuri stormed out from the forest as well and immediately attacked him. This was it, he thought. Finally a team discovered the real purpose behind the test and decided to work together. Kakashi defended against Sayuri's taijutsu and quickly was forced to multi-task as he began avoiding being hit by Naruto as well. Together they stood a much better chance.

Naruto landed next to Sayuri after yet another failed attack, but before he could engage once more, she gripped his arm and scowled.

"Get lost, loser," she snapped. "This is my fight."

Naruto scowled back before shrugging out of her grip, "I attacked him first. You think I'll just sit back and watch you take the bells for yourself?"

All the pride and satisfaction immediately abandoned Kakashi as he realized that the two genin hopefuls hadn't actually attempted a coordinated attack. He glanced over at the clock and noticed that there were only a few moments until noon, and he shook his head in disappointment. Just when he had thought that someone had figured it out, reality had reared its ugly head. It made him wonder if it was even possible for kids to put aside their differences and strive toward a common goal with selfless vigor?

Just as the thought crossed his mind, he felt a presence directly behind him. Shit! He'd allowed himself to get distracted! Over his shoulder, he was able to see Sakura diving behind him, reaching for the bells. At his front, Naruto and Sayuri had stopped fighting and both simultaneously charged toward him, obviously in an attempt to prevent him from stopping Sakura from taking the bells.

'I'd completely forgotten about you, Sakura,' Kakashi chastised to himself.

Being attacked from both sides, and with Sakura's hand inching closer and closer to the bells, Kakashi pulled a stunning maneuver and shifted just enough to the right so that Sakura's hand missed her target. He then pushed down on the back of her head, forcing her to fall to the ground before grabbing both Naruto and Sayuri's wrists and slamming them into one another. The three genin ended up as a heap on the ground, and he was confident that they'd be returning home with bruises.

Then the alarm finally went off, signaling that it was noon and that the test had concluded. The harsh sound seemed enough to make the three genin forget about their pain. Looks of shock passed over their faces as they realized that their gambit failed and that the time to steal the bells had run out.

"Well, that was anti-climactic," Kakashi remarked with a shrug, looking mostly unimpressed. Deep down, however, he was incredibly pleased with their performance. Now was the final test of their teamwork.

He turned to Sakura, which caused her to look as though she were a rabbit in the line of sight of a wolf, "That plan was yours, right Sakura?" he inquired, when she nodded, he sighed. "Well, it could have been better."

"Your comrades placed their faith in you to lead them to victory, but all you did was lead them to failure," Kakashi criticized harshly. "In the shinobi world, failure means death, and you, Sakura Haruno, a failure who would lead your comrades into death, are clearly not fit to be a shinobi."

Sakura looked down at the grass below her, a look of sadness violating her otherwise pleasant face. Naruto and Sayuri were too shocked to say anything as Kakashi turned to address them.

"You two, on the other hand, I suppose I can work with, seeing as you actually managed to touch the bells," he said, surprising them. "In truth, I was ordered to chose two of you three to take on as my team regardless of whether or not you guys passed. And you two are the shiniest of the three turds. So, congratulations, you pass."

Kakashi then held out the two bells for them to take. Sayuri supposed she should simply take one and be happy that she passed; however, she wasn't. She looked to her left and saw Sakura, who was staring at the ground, her face now void of any real emotion, as if he was resigned to her fate. Her hands then clenched in anger. Dammit. Why was she choosing today of all days to play the hero?

"No."

Kakashi raised his single visible eyebrow in confusion at Sayuri's response, "Excuse me?" he asked.

"I refuse to accept a bell from you," Sayuri explained tersely, with a cold stare.

After a few moments of apparent thought, Naruto nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'm out too," he said. "If not for Sakura, I'd probably still be neck-deep in the ground right now, so I guess I can't just leave her behind."

Sayuri looked toward Sakura once more and saw her looking at them with pure shock. She quickly looked away, a bit embarrassed by her gaze. The last thing she wanted was for Sakura to think that she ACTUALLY cared about her – which she definitely didn't.

Silence reigned as Kakashi stared at the three Academy students. If he was surprised by Sayuri and Naruto's rejection, he didn't really show it.

"I see," Kakashi responded casually. "Then I suppose I'll have to pass all three of you."

His words were not at all what the three genin hopefuls had been expecting, and they each looked up at Kakashi as if he had grown a second head. Sakura, in particular, couldn't really fathom what was going on, with her mouth opening and closing as she tried to formulate words. Sayuri absentmindedly thought that Sakura resembled a fish that had been snatched out of the water.

"B-But, you said..," Sakura stuttered out.

Kakashi smiled, a gesture which was made evident by the crinkling of his exposed eye, "What? That only two of you could pass? Well, I lied."

After getting no response from his team, Kakashi continued, "Today, the three of you did something nobody in the history of me giving this test has ever managed. You figured out its purpose."

"It's purpose?" Sakura asked. "I thought the point of the test was to get the bells."

Kakashi sighed, "The bells were simply a ploy to divide you all and make you look out for yourselves," he explained before looking toward Sayuri and Naruto specifically. "And my words to Sakura were to see if you two would abandon a comrade."

"So you didn't mean it...what you said to me, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked, looking a bit hopeful.

"Of course not," Kakashi confirmed with a smile. "Today, you helped Sayuri and Naruto both, and you were prepared to let them get the bells for themselves, even if it meant you would fail. That is the marking of a true shinobi – one I'd be honored to call my comrade."

Sakura lowered her head once more, but this time it was to hide the tears that were prickling up in her eyes. Sayuri was able to notice, but refused to make any comments about it. If Kakashi's words were enough to bring Sakura to tears of joy, it would be cruel of her to ruin the moment. It was rather clear that Sakura wasn't used to being praised for his skills as a shinobi.

"You see that stone over there?" Kakashi suddenly asked, pointing at an odd, black kunai like structure that sat adjacent to the river. It was clearly a statue of some kind. "That's the Memorial Stone. On it are the names of some of the greatest shinobi in the history of this village."

"Really?" Sakura asked after wiping her eyes with his arm. "What does a person need to do to get their name put on that stone?"

"Everyone on the stone has one thing in common," the masked jōnin explained. "They have all died in the service of this village."

Kakashi observed the reactions of his three genin, and noticed that Naruto was the only one who didn't appear as though his umbrella had blown away in a rainstorm. It was clear that he was already familiar with the stone.

"If there is one thing you should remember from your time with me, let it be this," Kakashi advised. "In the shinobi world, those who break the rules are trash – that's true – but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash."

The three genin looked toward their sensei in a new light. Perhaps he was better than they had thought?

"This marks the end of your examination," Kakashi announced before giving the team a thumbs up. "Tomorrow, we will officially meet for the first time as Team 7, and we will begin your training."

* * *

**~End~**

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter. I initially posted this story on Fanfiction.net, but have now decided to cross-post it on this site as well.**


	2. They're Ready

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. All characters in this story, excluding those that are created by me, are the intellectual property of Masashi Kishimoto. Please show support by reading or watching the original source material.**

* * *

**~Confronting the Shadow: Chapter Two~**

* * *

" **They're Ready"**

As promised, Team 7 gathered together for training the day following their completion of the bell test. Kakashi, based on what he had observed during the examination, had apparently devised several training programs for each of his students. They were all based on each of their individual needs, and the trio would be lying if they weren't a bit excited to find out what they'd be learning.

For starters, they spent the first hour of the day doing a chakra control exercise that consisted of them walking up a tree without using their hands. Predictably, Naruto and Sayuri struggled, while Sakura flourished, completing the exercise on the very first try. After a while Naruto and Sayuri, by way of their fierce determination, managed to make impressive progress of the own.

"Alright, that's enough of that for now," Kakashi announced once he was pleased with their results. He watched with a bit of amusement as Sayuri and Naruto came falling to the ground, barely able to land on their feet.

It took a few moments, but he eventually had their complete and undivided attention. They were all pretty exhausted, even Sakura, who had been running up and down her tree to help improve her stamina. All in all, he was happy to see that none of his students seemed to lack a strong work ethic.

"A week from now, we'll begin taking on our first missions as a team," he explained after giving them a few moments to catch their breaths. "We'll train every day until then, and by the end of the week, you'll notice a difference in your skill level."

After going into a bit more detail about what they would be doing, Kakashi then revealed that they would each learn one jutsu during the week. He then handed both Sayuri and Sakura one scroll each before telling them to begin practicing in the clearing nearby. They both seemed confused as to why Naruto was staying behind, but nevertheless agreed and walked off into the distance.

Naruto, just as out of the loop as his two teammates, looked toward his new sensei for clarification.

"Naruto, I don't think you're quite aware of how much chakra you actually have," Kakashi revealed out of the blue. "It's why you're taking much longer to master the tree-climbing exercise than Sakura did. You have so much chakra that it's difficult for you to control it for something so precise."

Predictably, Naruto appeared somewhat skeptical, "What are you getting at, sensei?" he asked.

Kakashi smiled, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

In a puff of smoke, a perfect replica of Kakashi appeared at his side. For Naruto, it wasn't that odd of a sight, considering all genin were capable of using the clone jutsu. It was an E-Rank jutsu that created an intangible copy of one's own body, without any substance. It had no actual battle use and was mostly used to confuse enemies.

"The clone jutsu? That's an Academy jutsu," Naruto remarked, his tone decidedly dismissive. "What does that have to do with me having a lot of chakra?"

Kakashi seemed as if he was prepared for that very question, "Attack the clone I just created," he instructed, much to Naruto's confusion. "Come on, do it now."

Deciding there would be no harm in humoring the masked jonin, Naruto shrugged before immediately lunging toward the clone with impressive speed. The clone raised its arms to block the punch, and much to Naruto's surprise, it caught his extended arm and flipped him onto this back, knocking the wind out of his lungs.

"How?" Naruto groaned out loud. "That's a solid clone?"

Kakashi then dispelled the clone into a cloud a smoke in a manner similar to how it appeared. He waited for Naruto to gather his breath and return to his feet before continuing. He was beginning to enjoy teaching, actually. Passing on what he knew while his student waited patiently for him to explain how things worked was oddly satisfying. Somehow, it felt more fulfilling than completing a mission.

"It is, but to be more specific, it's a Shadow Clone," Kakashi explained. "It is a jonin-level jutsu created by the Second Hokage. I evenly distribute my chakra among every clone, giving each an equal fraction of my overall power. The clones are capable of performing techniques on their own, and can even bleed, but will usually disperse after hit being a strong enough force."

Naruto, despite his carefree nature, seemed entranced at the concept of such a fantastic jutsu, "Is this the technique I have to learn by the end of the week, Kakashi-sensei?"

To his surprise, he received a shake of the head from his new sensei, "Not exactly. It's only the first step," Kakashi explained, leaving Naruto mildly perplexed. "The jutsu I want you to master by the end of the week is the Shadow Clone Jutsu taken to another level. It's a jutsu so dangerous that it has been declared forbidden – even I have to be extra careful when using it."

Naruto's eyes widened slightly, "What is this jutsu?" he asked.

"It is the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu," Kakashi revealed. "It is a massive version of the Shadow Clone Jutsu, in which you create hundreds upon hundreds of clones. It can potentially be dangerous to the person performing it since your chakra is evenly distributed among such a large number of clones."

Kakashi gave it a few moments for it all to sink in. This wasn't some Academy-level technique. It was a deadly jutsu that could be found within the Forbidden Scroll of Seals. At a surface level, it didn't seem all that dangerous. There were undoubtedly jutsu in the Scroll of Seals that were more deadly, but the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu was no joke. Kakashi had heard stories of people creating so many clones and immediately dying of chakra exhaustion.

"I spoke with the Hokage, and he and I both believe that you are the only person in the village who can use the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu to its fullest potential," he continued, much to Naruto's shock. "Only you possess the massive reserves of chakra required to use it without risk."

"The Hokage said that?" Naruto began but immediately fell silent as he realized the sheer magnitude of what he had just been told. THE Hokage said that about him.

Kakashi realized that this moment was likely incredibly overwhelming for Naruto. The boy had probably grown up thinking that nobody was interested in his development, and now he was learning that the Hokage had enough faith to allow him to learn a forbidden jutsu. At the sight of his bratty little student's pleased face, Kakashi couldn't help but feel a warm sensation in his chest. It felt good being the bearer of good news for once.

After letting it all soak in, Kakashi handed Naruto a scroll of his own, "In this scroll is the Shadow Clone Jutsu, the basic version," he explained. "I expect you to learn it by the end of the day, so starting tomorrow, we can get on to the next step. Do you understand?"

Naruto nodded before his eyes narrowed in determination, "I'll do it, Kakashi-sensei," he assured, before walking off toward the clearing where Sayuri and Sakura were training.

As he watched Naruto walk away, his lone eye widened when he realized something rather astounding. Just now was the first time that Naruto had ever called him sensei. Sure, they'd only known each other for a little over a day, but in that amount of time, Sakura had addressed him as sensei so many times that it felt like the word was going out of style. Sayuri, on the other hand – well – let's just say he had realistic expectations when it came to her.

Kakashi chuckled. Sayuri, snarky as she was, didn't address anyone with the proper respect. Not even the Hokage was free from her attitude. It took quite a lot to irritate Kakashi, so he hardly took it personally. Now, if she was out there being respectful to everyone other than him, he may have felt some type of way about it.

* * *

It was evening now – late evening. Sayuri was practically drained of all stamina but stubbornly continued to train. Sakura and Kakashi had left long ago, so now only she and Naruto remained. He was on the other side of the clearing, creating what seemed to be clones of himself. From what she could tell, based on his demeanor, he had managed to learn the jutsu Kakashi had given him. So what? She completed hers on the first day as well.

Strangely enough, this was the first time they had actually been alone together. In fact, even with all the classes they'd jointly attended, outside of their brief interactions since becoming teammates, they hardly ever spoke to one another. Sayuri supposed that she was mostly to blame – though Naruto hadn't exactly made the greatest first impression when they initially met.

"That's enough for today," Naruto suddenly remarked, mostly to himself. He stood up straight and stretched his back.

Sayuri scoffed, "What, are you tired or something?" she asked, earning a side-eyed glance from her teammate.

"Nope, but I don't plan on spending the night out here," Naruto explained before gathering his belongings. "You can do that if you want, though."

"Hmm," Sayuri hummed before continuing with her training. "Whatever you say...sleepyhead."

Naruto visibly twitched at what he viewed to be an accusatory statement, "What are you getting at?" he asked, with a noticeable edge to his voice.

Sayuri merely shrugged her shoulders, "Nothing," she said.

Silence reigned in the clearing, with only the light of the moon above illuminating their surroundings. Naruto was staring at Sayuri, who was now practicing the hand seals of her jutsu as if he wasn't even there. His eyes then narrowed comically as he realized she was questioning his dedication to his training.

"How about we spar, you and I?" he asked with a cocky smile. "I think we can both agree that this is long overdue."

A rare smirk split over Sayuri's features, "I thought you'd never ask, you moron."

Sayuri turned and afforded Naruto her full attention. His stance was loose and void of any apparent weaknesses. She was no fool. She knew that Naruto was viewed by many as the best genin from their graduating class, despite them both having similar scores. This spar had a higher purpose in her eyes. She'd show him that perception wasn't always reality.

The two genin exploded towards one another and immediately engaged in hand-to-hand combat. It quickly became apparent that they were both equally skilled when it came to taijutsu. Still, she found that it was getting progressively more challenging to keep up with Naruto's clearly superior speed. Her eyes weren't capable of tracking a lot of the attacks, and only her refined instincts prevented her from taking any solid strikes to her body or face.

Suddenly, Naruto attempted a spinning kick to Sayuri's head, which the Uchiha prodigy countered by ducking and delivering a sweeping leg kick that knocked Naruto off of his feet. However, as Sayuri went in for a strike, Naruto twisted in the air and kicked her in the chest. She managed to block at the last moment, though the force still pushed her back. She was then blitzed, receiving a follow-up punch to the face that sent her tumbling to the ground. To her credit, she stood up quickly, but it was clear that Naruto had gained the upper hand.

As if to add to her woes, before Sayuri could even blink, Naruto disappeared once again. She turned over her shoulder to see the blonde Uzumaki now behind her, preparing to deliver what seemed like the final strike of the fight. At that moment, she realized just how behind she really was in her goal. How could she defeat _him_ if she couldn't even beat Naruto?

Suddenly, as if triggered by her anguish, the world around her seemed to slow down, and she was surprisingly able to read Naruto's movements. She ducked under Naruto's punch, much to the blonde's surprise, and landed a powerful shot to his stomach, knocking him back a bit.

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he noticed the change in his opponent. The two charged toward one another once more, this time swapping hands at a much more equal level. It was astounding to Sayuri, as she had never before felt so under control in his life. Her perception had increased tenfold, and she was finally able to keep up with Naruto's insane speed, allowing her to dodge many strikes and nearly land a few of her own.

'I can see,' she thought to herself as she managed to dodge a kick that almost took her head off. Her eyes widened in excitement as she saw an opening. 'I can see!'

Naruto was then knocked back by a kick that clipped him in the chin. The blonde Uzumaki rubbed his jaw a bit before standing up, narrowing his eyes in visible irritation. Sayuri smirked as she realized that Naruto wasn't used to fighting opponents his age that were capable of going toe to toe with him.

The two genin stared each other down for a few moments, realizing that they had reached an impasse. It was clear that they were dead equal in taijutsu, and continuing to fight in such a manner would be pointless. Then, out of nowhere, Naruto blinked in apparent surprise before his posture stiffened.

"Those eyes," Naruto muttered with a very genuine glare, much to her confusion. Why did he look so uncharacteristically angry?

What was he even talking about? Then, it hit her, and she quickly removed her headband from her forehead and used it as a makeshift mirror. Much to her surprise, and elation, she did not see her normal onyx eyes looking back at her. Now, she saw a pair of blood-red eyes, each with a single tomoe.

'The Sharingan,' she thought to herself in awe. 'I've finally–'

"You have those disgusting eyes?" Naruto asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"And what if I do?" she replied, her voice cold like ice. "Is that a problem?"

Naruto gripped his head with his right hand and clenched his eyes as if he was wracked by a painful headache. Sayuri wondered if he was suffering the effects of exhaustion due to overtraining, but their spar showed that he was far from tired. It lasted for several seconds before he finally managed to relax and calm himself down.

"Whatever," he said, his voice sounding genuinely exhausted. "I'm leaving."

Without another word, he turned and began his slow walk home.

* * *

**(One Week Later)**

The rest of the week passed without much issue, and the genin of Team 7 all managed to rapidly improve themselves within the given time frame. From what Sayuri was able to infer, Sakura had delved into genjutsu over the past week. According to Kakashi, she had an affinity for illusionary jutsu because of her excellent chakra control. It made Sayuri consider delving into genjutsu herself. Any Uchiha worth a damn was at least serviceable in genjutsu.

Sayuri focused mainly on a new fire style jutsu – though she continued with her regular training regimen as well, refusing to allow the rest of her skills to dull. The jutsu she learned was called, 'Fire Style: Hiding in Ash and Dust' or something along those lines. With this new jutsu, she expelled chakra-infused ash from her mouth that blanketed a wide area, burning anyone who came in contact with it. It could be used as a powerful deterrent from attacks as well as a highly effective smokescreen.

Naruto's week, however, was much more of a mystery. He spent much of his time training alone with Kakashi, where she noticed that the two were having one-on-one sparring sessions. Imagine her surprise when she saw dozens upon dozens of Naruto clones fighting against Kakashi as well – all of whom seemed solid and not illusionary at all.

It seemed like Kakashi was treating Naruto with favoritism. It was obvious. The way he looked at Naruto was different from the way he looked at the rest of the team. There was some nostalgia in his lone eye, and genuine care as well. He also seemed abnormally invested in Naruto's individual development. It made her wonder if he was ever going to teach her something useful.

"Alright, team," Kakashi announced as he entered their little training ground, oddly on time today. "Today, we've been invited to take part in a special exercise. I figured it would be a good opportunity to – I don't know – cap off the week before we take our first mission."

Sakura, as usual, was the most inquisitive of the group, "What kind of exercise, sensei?" she asked.

Kakashi inclined his head in her direction, "The leader of Team 8 has so graciously offered to have our two squads train together today. I felt that by doing so, we'd be able to gauge just how much you've all improved during the week."

Sayuri narrowed her eyes in irritation. Team 8 consisted of one of the more annoying people she knew. Kiba Inuzuka. He was by far and away the loudest, most boisterous person in their class. He was the self-proclaimed rival of Naruto, even though he wasn't nearly as skilled. Great. Today, she'd have to once again listen to Kiba make a complete ass out of himself.

"Team 8 has Hinata on it, right?" Sakura asked before glancing at Kakashi for confirmation, receiving a nod in return. "She's nice, from what I remember."

Looking upon his three genin, Kakashi wondered if Sakura would be able to bring herself to come to blows with her former classmates. She was a kindhearted person by nature, and while she had been excelling and meeting all of his expectations thus far with her training, he still wasn't sure if she was ready for a mission outside of the village. He had similar concerns for Naruto and Sayuri, but for entirely different reasons. This match would be an excellent test.

"I have faith in you all," Kakashi continued. "Do your best, and work together, but there is something very important that you three need to do today,"

The three genin tilted their heads in confusion.

Kakashi smiled, "Win."

They all smirked – Sayuri included. They supposed they could manage that.

* * *

They arrived at a location of Team 8's choice. Sayuri was unfamiliar with the particular training ground, and found that the forests were denser in this area. Her eyes narrowed. It was clear that this environment favored Team 8, who could rely on Kiba's sense of smell and Hinata's Byakugan to navigate through the trees and brush.

"You've finally here. Welcome. I'm Kurenai Sarutobi," the jonin sensei of Team 8 greeted politely. She was a beautiful woman with a slender build, long untamed black hair, and very unique eyes that were red in color, with an additional ring around the pupil. She also wore red lipstick and purple eye shadow. Unlike Kakashi's standard jonin garb, her attire consisted of a red mesh armor blouse with only a right sleeve.

"Well, well, look who it is," Kiba taunted as soon as Team 7 was within view. "You guys look the same as you did at the Academy."

"It's only been a week since we graduated, moron. You look the same too."

Sayuri's words were effective in riling Kiba up. Rather than getting upset on behalf of her student, Kurenai chuckled a bit. She admired Sayuri's wittiness and undeniable feminine strength. In her opinion, the village needed more young kunoichi to take up the mantle in the next generation.

"If it weren't for the fact that my beef was with whisker-boy over there, I'd gladly kick your ass first," Kiba declared, though his words failed to elicit a reaction from either Naruto or Sayuri – much to his annoyance.

Hinata, who stood to the left of her teammates, couldn't help but roll her eyes at Kiba's nonsense. The Hyūga heiress had always been a mystery to Sayuri during their days in the Academy. In the beginning, she could only be described as harmless – which was fine for a normal lifestyle, but not suitable for a shinobi. Then, however, she experienced a gradual change where she became much more competent.

The last remaining member of Team 8 stood in silence. Unlike most people in their class, Sayuri was well aware that Shino Aburame was not to be taken lightly, and knew that he was nothing like Kiba. He never did anything at the Academy that would attract attention. It was also clear that he had been holding back during spars to conceal his abilities. She couldn't really relate to his cautious nature, but there was one thing of which she was sure. He was strong.

Sayuri then shifted her attention to Naruto, who was currently looking up at the clouds with his hands behind his head. They still had yet to discuss the incident from their little sparring session. The way Naruto had reacted to her Sharingan was so unlike him. Sure, he was an annoying prick, but he never came off as violent or even remotely aggressive. That night she saw hatred burning behind his eyes. Not for her – no – for the eyes of her clan.

"So, Kakashi, what do you think?" Kurenai asked with a raised brow. "Think this is a good place to have a survival exercise between out teams?"

Any sort of daydreaming or conversation screeched to a halt as Kurenai-sensei laid out the terms of engagement. All at once, they narrowed their eyes in determination. It was more than likely that they would be pitted against one another. Kiba looked in Naruto's direction with a vicious grin, but he was completely ignored, which only seemed to fire him up even more.

Kakashi cleared his throat, "Today will be a three-on-three sparring drill," he explained. "The team that manages to disable or defeat the members of the other team wins. Simple, right?"

"But this is merely an exercise between comrades," Kurenai added. "That means no lethal jutsu that could maim or kill your opponents."

Everyone among the two teams of genin could agree to those terms. They had no desire to kill or hurt each other – that was for sure. Hell, even Kiba merely wanted to beat Naruto to prove his strength. He didn't actually hate Naruto or anything like that. It was as Kurenai-sensei said. They were all comrades from the same village. Even if some of them were more annoying than others.

"Kiba," Shino spoke up in his usual monotone voice, loud enough for only Hinata and Kiba to hear.

"Yeah?"

"You and I should work together to defeat Naruto," Shino said as he watched the blonde in question intently.

Kiba's reaction was predictably indignant, whereas Hinata appeared somewhat conflicted.

"What the hell? No way!" Kiba growled. "I've gotten stronger since he and I last fought. Let me fight him!"

Shino shook his head, "Neither you, myself, or Hinata can defeat him alone," he said, clearly realistic about Naruto's abilities. "Why? Because he is the strongest genin from our graduating class."

"But what about Sayuri? She's strong as well. She received the same scores as Naruto," Hinata asked, perhaps in an attempt to deflect some of the focus away from Naruto. It was one thing to fight a group three-on-three, but it was another to gang up on a single person – particularly when it was Naruto. She admired him quite a bit.

"She is a threat as well," Shino conceded. "But my insects warn me that there is something strange about Naruto's chakra."

Kiba crossed his arms and decided to glare at nothing in particular. It was clear that Shino was nervous about the fact that Naruto, for the most part, still remained quite a mystery. Everyone knew that he was really good, but not once had he ever been forced to use anything other than simple taijutsu. With chakra like that, Shino was certain that he had a talent for ninjutsu as well.

"We will isolate him from the rest of his team," Shino planned, talking more than they ever remembered him talking in the past. "Hinata will distract the other two, while Kiba and I dispatch him."

Hinata blinked, "Seems like you have this all figured out," she remarked as she crossed her arms. She wasn't arrogant. She was confident that she could go do well enough against just about anyone, but fighting Sayuri while also having to deal with a second opponent would be a pain.

"Just distract them for as long as you can manage while we take out the most dangerous threat. But don't worry," Shino concluded ominously as the drill was about to begin. "It shouldn't take Kiba and I very long."

* * *

"What do you think they're talking about?" Sakura asked, her arms crossed as they watched Team 8.

Naruto appeared relaxed, as usual, "They're probably coming up with a strategy," he deduced. "Let's just hope that it's Kiba that's doing the planning."

Sayuri and Sakura both smirked, internally sharing in his sentiment.

* * *

"Begin!" Kakashi and Kurenai both shouted simultaneously, starting the match. They both smiled with pride as their genin vanished into the forest, deciding not to fight each other directly.

"May the better team win," Kurenai said politely.

Kakashi nodded before pulling his book from his weapon pouch, "Yes. The better team will win," he said with thinly veiled confidence.

Kurenai raised her brow, noticing the particular tone of his voice, "And you're certain that team is yours?" she asked.

Kakashi simply nodded his head in confirmation. It was no secret that Team 7 had the most talent overall, with the two best students from their graduating class. Yet, that didn't mean that they would work well together as a team. Kurenai felt that her team meshed together perfectly, and in these dense forests, in her mind, there was no chance Team 7 could evade or defeat her squad.

"I've never known you to be so arrogant, Kakashi," she replied with a smile, not really upset, still viewing this all as a bit of friendly competition.

Kakashi shrugged, "I'm just acknowledging a fact," he said before looking up from his book and off in the distance. "I hope your squad doesn't underestimate mine – for their sakes."

* * *

"Sakura's the weakest," Kiba commented as the leaped through the trees. "Hinata! You should take her out first."

Hinata blinked, "Excuse me?"

Kiba rolled his eyes, "When you confront the two chicks of Team 7, you should take out Sakura first."

Hinata was beginning to wonder if her teammates were being a bit overconfident. She wasn't a fan of this plan of theirs, and not just because it involved them ganging up on Naruto. No. She felt that they were completely overlooking the other two members of Team 7 if they actually thought that she could beat them on her own. Sayuri was strong – incredibly strong.

"They don't stand a chance against you, Hinata," Kiba continued. "You're a Hyūga. Once you get in close, it's over."

Before Kiba could speak any further, Shino intervened, "The plan is for Hinata to distract, not engage," he corrected. "It would be unfair for her to fight against two opponents by herself, especially when Sayuri is among them."

As usual, Shino was proving himself to be the most sensible of the bunch. Since they began working together a week ago, Hinata was surprised at how assertive Shino was. Based on her brief interactions with him in the past, she had always assumed he was quiet because he was shy or lacked confidence. That was definitely not the case. He had no problem speaking his mind or taking control when necessary. It was admirable, actually.

"Here," Shino continued, handing Hinata a pouch. "Use these smoke bombs. In the smoke, you'll be the only person able to see because of your Byakugan. Use that to your advantage."

Hinata accepted the pouch, feeling a bit more confident in Shino's plan now. Her job was to simply keep Sayuri and Sakura occupied long enough for Kiba and Shino to defeat Naruto. Though, her heart sank at the thought. The very image of Naruto being forced to fight two opponents on his own was something that she couldn't quite stomach.

"Don't try to defeat them," Shino finished. "Just make sure they do not interfere in our fight with Naruto. We'll assist you when we're finished."

Hinata nodded in understanding. That seemed more manageable...unless, of course, Sayuri showed that she was a whole level above what she had demonstrated at the Academy. After all, just like her clan, the Uchiha had been famous for their ocular prowess. Hinata wasn't sure if Sayuri actually had the Sharingan yet, but if she did, things would probably get rough fast.

Their discussion was soon interrupted when Kiba caught hold of a scent in the distance. Hinata activated her Byakugan, evidenced by the bulging of the veins near her eyes and temples. She was immediately able to see Team 7 up ahead, and from what she could tell, the group seemed to be talking about something. Her brow raised when she saw Sayuri flip Naruto off, clearly offended by something he'd said.

"They're up ahead, in a small clearing," Hinata whispered.

Kiba slammed his fist into his open palm and grinned, "Alright!" he said. "Let's do this!"

Shino spoke before Kiba was given a chance to charge in without a thought, "We'll use this ambush as our opportunity to separate Naruto from the rest of his team."

* * *

Team 7 seemed mildly surprised when a smoke bomb landed at their feet. Their initial reaction was to cover their mouths and noses in case it was poison. It was only an assumption, but poison seemed like a tool that Shino would employ. However, they soon remembered the rule against using lethal force and realize that it was likely just smoke being used to hinder their eyesight.

Kiba's nose twitched and he grinned viciously when he identified Naruto's location within the smoke. Without hesitation, he immediately dove into the fray with only a single target in mind. Shino was right at his heels, while Hinata remained perched in a nearby tree. He soon landed directly behind Naruto and elongated in claws in preparation to slash his opponent across the back. However, he hadn't been quiet enough, and Naruto managed to react just in time.

Now only able to rely on his hearing and instinct, Naruto tensed up when he heard a distinct buzzing approaching him from the side. He lunged back, recognizing that the source of the strange sound signaled some severe danger. His instincts were quickly proven to be correct when he finally escape the cloud of smoke, only to see a cloud of insects trailing behind him.

Once the smoke finally cleared, Sayuri frowned when she noticed that Naruto had vanished from sight. She quickly realized that he had been separated from the rest of their team to be picked off. Was this Team 8's strategy? Were they planning on defeat them one by one?

Cursing her inability to sense chakra, she focused her hearing and was able to detect combat in the distance. She signaled to Sakura, and they made to sprint to where she assumed Naruto was, but they were forced to stop when a set of kunai landed in front of them, blocking their path. Sayuri activated her Sharingan and was able to notice more smoke bombs attached to the steel weapons. She muttered a curse when the area was engulfed with smoke once more.

"They left one here to keep us from interfering. Dammit," she cursed under her breath before turning to where she could still feel Sakura. "They're trying to trap us with smoke."

Suddenly, she felt something shifting through the air and pulled Sakura as another volley of kunai nearly hit them, each with another smoke bombs tied to the ring at the end of the handle with shinobi wire. Right as the cloud of smoke had begun to fade once more, another was produced immediately after.

"I hope Naruto's okay," Sakura said with worry, her voice muffled as she covered her mouth with her arm.

"He'll be fine," Sayuri responded, her tone solemn as she remembered their spar. "He won't lose."

They were then forced to dodge another round of kunai and shuriken.

* * *

"You. Slippery. Bastard," Kiba growled in between his attacks, annoyed as none of them managed to land. This was how it always was when he fought Naruto.

Meanwhile, the very same swarm of insects that forced Naruto to separate from his teammates in the first place made another appearance. Not willing to test the danger they presented, Naruto abandoned his scrap with Kiba in favor of finding a location in the forest with more favorable conditions. He eventually settled on a small clearing, and decided to make his stand there.

"It's over for you now, you bastard!" Kiba shouted as he and Shino eventually caught up with him.

Naruto observed the situation before smirking, "Oh yeah? So you've finally realized that you can't defeat me alone?"

Predictably, the accusation set Kiba off. Shino was unable to stop the Inuzuka from charging forward, and he cursed the fact that he had to be paired with such an unruly brute. It was clear now that Naruto was going to use Kiba's fragile ego against him. It wasn't all that complex of a strategy considering how easy it was to rile Kiba up, but it still showed Naruto to be rather pragmatic.

As Kiba was mere feet from reaching Naruto's guard, Shino felt his instincts screaming at him to intervene. Naruto was akin to a coiled snake waiting for the opportune moment to strike, and Kiba's hasty advance was providing a lot of openings. Realizing the danger, Shino directed his insects like a conductor, and managed to create a makeshift barrier between Naruto and Kiba before it was too late.

"Calm down, Kiba," he warned. "Why? Because you can't fight Naruto when your mind is clouded by anger. It's how he always defeats you so quickly."

Kiba huffed before nodding his head and clenching his fists. This was good. Now it seemed like Kiba had calmed down a bit and recognized the situation they were in. Frankly, Naruto was stronger than they were, and they couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

The wall of insects flew back to their master and hovered around him defensively as the three genin stared each other down. Naruto's expression was rather relaxed as always – though it was clear that he was actively thinking of ways to defeat them. Despite his individual strength, he was at a severe numbers disadvantage. Shino hoped it would be enough for them to pull out the win.

"Where is your dog, Kiba?" Naruto asked, breaking the silence when he noticed that Kiba's signature puppy was missing.

Kiba glared at what he viewed as a subtle insult, "He's at the vet," he explained. "And you're lucky, because Akamaru and I together would make quick work of you!"

Naruto hummed in apparent contemplation, before smirking and placing his hands in a strange seal that neither Kiba or Shino had ever seen before. Shino's insects vibrated intensely inside of his body, signaling that there was a serious amount of chakra being poured into whatever jutsu Naruto was about to use.

"That's a relief. Between the two of you, Akamaru was always the one I felt threatened by the most," he remarked, causing Kiba to scowl. "Still, two on one seems pretty unfair. Let's even the odds a little bit."

In puffs smoke, two perfect copies of Naruto appeared, both looking as if they were ready for battle. Kiba scoffed, assuming them to be E-Rank illusionary clones, but Shino knew better. He couldn't claim that he actually understood what they were, but if the smirk on Naruto's face was anything to go by, it was very likely that they weren't ordinary clones.

His reservations were proven to be well placed when the two clones charged toward them and began engaging in direct hand-to-hand combat. They both quickly got past their shock and defended themselves as best they could. Kiba fared much better since his main style of attack was close range taijutsu. Shino, however, was a mid to long-range fighter, and was currently out of his element.

"Are these solid clones?!" Kiba asked after backing away from a kick.

"It seems that Naruto has learned a new jutsu," Shino grunted after blocking a punch. He never enjoyed taijutsu.

His eyes then widened behind his sunglasses as he saw that the original Naruto was now gone. Damn, he had focused too much on the clones. He looked over his shoulder and saw the original was right behind him, with his arm cocked back in preparation to deal what would likely be fight-ending strike. Thankfully, Shino was narrowly able to lean back and avoid it by the skin of his teeth.

Swarms of insects then erupted from his sleeves, eliminating one of Naruto's clones and forcing the original to leap back to the edge of the clearing. Relentless in his counter-assault, Shino unleashed yet another wave of insects, which Naruto once again moved back to avoid. All a part of his plan, Shino continued attacking his opponent from all angles, slowly but surely directing him toward the river at the edge of the clearing.

Naruto seemed unaware that he was slowly approaching the water's edge, and it was only at the last moment that he realized the predicament he'd been led into. Unless he was able to swim faster than Shino's bugs could fly, moving back was no longer an option. He also mentally measured the width of the river and confirmed that it was too wide for him to simply jump across.

And yet, despite his apparent disadvantage, Naruto couldn't be any more confident with how things were playing out. Shino thought he was clever, pushing him towards the water. If only he knew that water style ninjutsu was his specialty. He'd never been granted much of an opportunity to utilize them in the Academy, so it was actually somewhat of a trick he had hidden up his sleeve.

He began weaving through a familiar set of hand seals, "Water Style: Water–"

A small splash from behind him interrupted his jutsu, and as he looked over his shoulder he saw a puppy flying toward him with bared teeth. He cursed his stupidity. He should have known that Kiba was lying. As if an Inuzuka would actually go into battle without his signature ninja hound. Naruto honestly hadn't thought that Kiba was smart enough to hide his canine partner to use as an ace in the hole – though, it seemed more like something Shino would come up with.

Akamaru bit into his forearm with a surprising amount of force for an animal his size. It was actually strong enough to penetrate his jacket sleeve and draw blood. It was then that an ominous buzzing reminded him of the insect threat that was still approaching him from the front. They'd played their cards well, he'd have to give them credit.

Seeing that he didn't have many options left, Naruto jumped back and landed into the river with a splash. Predictably, the cloud of insects halted their advance, and in the distance, Shino narrowed his eyes at the surprising move. If only Akamaru weren't still just a puppy. Sure, his small size was what allowed him to flank around without being noticed, but if he were larger, he could have ended the entire fight with his bite.

"Akamaru!" Kiba shouted with concern. Dogs couldn't breathe underwater, after all.

Before he could charge forward, a hand on the shoulder stopped him, "Kiba, wait," he warned. "Something isn't right."

Shino parted his cloud of insects so they could get a better view of what was going on. The surface of the water had calmed, with only slight ripples revealing that someone had just jumped inside mere moments ago.

Suddenly, Akamaru climbed out from the water without so much as a scratch on him. The poor animal took in some much-needed intakes of breath before shaking the water from his fur and sniffing around for his master. It didn't take long for him to find Kiba, who he immediately took the puppy in his arms with a degree of concern that looked foreign with his normally feral features.

'He dove into the water knowing that he'd be able to hold his breath longer than Akamaru,' Shino deduced. He then frowned. The amount of time that Naruto had spent underneath the surface of the water so far demonstrated a level of familiarity with the element. Was water his affinity?

"Kiba, get back."

If Shino had one weakness, it was his love of insects. They weren't just a tool that he used in battle. No. They were a part of him. They quite literally lived inside of his body by way of a symbiotic relationship. With that said, he wasn't willing to sacrifice them in spar just to achieve a hollow victory. Therefore, when a tendril of water suddenly formed out of the lake and threatened to kill his entire swarm, he called them back.

Thankfully, he had reacted quickly enough to get them all away from the impact of the water jutsu. They all receded back into his sleeves – alive and ready to be used again as the battle continued to escalate. Surprisingly, however, it didn't. After the initial water jutsu, there was nothing.

Then, suddenly, his insects began to vibrate inside of him once more. Almost immediately after, Naruto exploded out of the water, propelling himself into the air. Then, it happened again as another Naruto leaped out of the water. And another, and another, and another, until there were dozens upon dozens of copies flying towards them, almost resembling Shino's cloud of insects due to their quantity.

Kiba happened to sum up Shino's thoughts on their situation quite nicely, saying, "Well, shit."

Well, shit, indeed.

* * *

Sayuri was beginning to have enough. Whoever was bombarding them with smoke bombs was starting to become more annoying than Naruto on his worst days. Their situation may not seem like that big of a deal, but it actually was a perfect diversionary tactic. She and Sakura couldn't see at all, and if they ever tried to escape the smoke, they would be at risk of being hit with shuriken...which they wouldn't be able to see coming.

"Whoever it is has to be close to running out of smoke bombs, right?" Sakura asked, breathing a bit hard.

Sayuri shook her head, "We can't just wait for them to run out."

Sakura paused, putting her mind to the test as she attempted to come up with a solution. While not nearly as powerful as Sayuri or Naruto, she could still find a way to be useful by putting her big brain to work.

"Alright. We'll both try to escape in opposite directions. That way, they can only target one of us," Sakura proposed. "It'll divide their attention, and at least one of us will be able to go help Naruto. There's only one problem."

"Whoever is targeting us isn't going to make things easy for us," Sayuri concluded on her own, finishing Sakura's thought.

Sakura nodded, "That means they'll engage one of us, and they'll probably pick you since you're the greater threat. If they attack you, my job will be to go to Naruto. I'll leave the situation here for you."

Deciding that the time for waiting was over, they both ran in opposite directions as planned. Sayuri ran in the direction Naruto was, hoping that by doing so, she'd find out what the hell was going on with him. She had expected him to beat his opponents rather quickly, and she was beginning to wonder if he had bitten off more than he could chew. He was a cocky bastard, after all. It wouldn't be difficult to imagine him underestimating his opponents.

Sayuri finally got clear of the smoke, and assumed that the assailant had chosen to prevent Sakura from leaving instead. However, she was proven wrong when she was forced to duck underneath a palm strike that nearly hit her temple. She quickly recognized that it was Hinata Hyūga – who, similar to Sayuri, was the heiress of her clan. The only difference was that Hinata's clan wasn't extinct.

"I'm sorry, Sayuri," Hinata said, her lavender-white eyes narrowed in determination. "But I can't let you pass."

Things began making sense now, "You were the one who was keeping us trapped in the smoke," Sayuri deduced. "With your Byakugan, only you could have targeted us with shuriken despite the lack of visibility."

Her statement didn't prompt any kind of response, and the two girls faced off for several moments without making a move. After a while, Sayuri realized that Hinata had no reason to attack first, since her only job was to keep Sayuri from advancing. Therefore, she reached into her weapon pouch and threw a handful of shuriken toward Hinata, officially making the first move.

Hinata effortlessly weaved out of the way, which didn't come as a surprise to Sayuri. She'd only thrown the shuriken as a diversionary tactic to set up her next move anyway. With impressive speed and dexterity, she leaped into the air and landed at Hinata's back.

"Fire Style," she muttered after forming the tiger seal and allowing the fire chakra to expand in her chest. "Fireball Jutsu."

The large ball of flames scorched the ground below as it headed straight for Hinata. It proved fruitless, however, since Hinata had complete 360-degree vision. She was able to narrowly avoid the jutsu despite its speed and size. Admittedly a bit impressed, Sayuri closed the distance and prepared to gauge Hinata's skills in taijutsu.

As to be expected from a Hyūga, Hinata's hand speed was impeccable. Nevertheless, Sayuri's Sharingan allowed her to avoid the strikes by the skin by just a hair. Hinata was by no means unskilled when it came to taijutsu, but one needed to be fast beyond reason to get passed the eyes of the Uchiha clan.

'So this is the Gentle Fist?' Sayuri thought internally. She could see the chakra concentrated at Hinata's fingertips. 'If even one of those hits me, it'll be bad.'

"Not bad," Sayuri complimented after dodging another strike. "But not enough."

Her Sharingan glowed a crimson red as she kicked up her speed. Before Hinata could even fathom what was going on, Sayuri appeared at her back for the second time in their brief fight. And yet, even though could see the attack coming, her body wasn't fast enough to keep up with her visual prowess. Sayuri landed a chop on the back of Hinata's neck and watched as her former classmate crumpled to the ground.

The Sharingan and Byakugan both shared a similar weakness. While both jutsu made it easier to see attacks coming, the user's body still needed to be fast enough to react in time. In that sense, it could serve as a double-edged sword. Nothing was more frustrating than seeing an attack coming and lacking the ability to do anything about it.

Sayuri took in a deep breath of fresh air. It felt good to finally be out of the smoke, even if it had only lasted for about five minutes. She'd never take the purity of air for granted again.

"Well, time to see what the jackass has gotten himself into."

* * *

"Your genin knows the Shadow Clone Jutsu?" Kurenai asked Kakashi in shock as they observed the ending of the survival exercise.

Kakashi inclined his head, "He took to it like a fish to water," he confessed. "It's as if the jutsu were made just for him."

"Indeed," Kurenai mumbled to herself. She had never seen anyone make so many clones.

To think that one of Kakashi's students would be capable of defeating both Kiba and Shino on his own. Shino was the trump card of her team – someone she felt could overcome any genin in the village. However, Naruto made quick work of him. And that wasn't even mentioning the fact that the Uchiha girl was supposed to be equally as skilled. Talk about an oversaturation of talent.

She watched both Team 7 and Team 8, making the long walk back and couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. Not in her students, no...but in herself. It had only been a week since they had been assigned to her, sure; however, a part of her felt that she could have prepared them better for today.

"Your genin came up with a good strategy," Kakashi complimented. "It was the best plan possible considering the situation. Sometimes you just don't win. It's not the end of the world."

Kurenai glared at the ground, "Out there in the real world, defeat means death."

Kakashi looked away from his book for a moment, "Which is why we're here to protect them until they're strong enough to look out for themselves. They'll be fine."

The two jonin then put their conversation on hold when their teams made it within hearing distance. Kakashi watched his team, who were confident and uninjured, and smiled softly to himself.

'They're ready,' he thought.

* * *

Naruto couldn't help but walk with a bit more pep in his step than usual as he made his way home. Despite having grown accustomed to defeating his opponents back at the Academy, this was the first time he'd really been allowed to let loose and use his ninjutsu in combat. Fighting against Kiba and Shino showed him that he was clearly on the right path. His training had resulted in him being strong enough to defeat to other members of his graduating class simultaneously.

"Um, Naruto. Are you free to talk?"

The voice was so subdued that he almost didn't notice it among the chatter of other villagers going about their business. He turned over his shoulder and was surprised to see Hinata standing there, looking somewhat nervous. It was a bit strange, seeing as she'd always come off as composed back at the Academy. Was she embarrassed by how her team performed during the exercise?

"Hinata," he replied as a greeting before turning to face her directly. "You need something?"

Finally able to speak with Naruto alone, Hinata was at a frustrating loss for words. Coming up to this moment, she had been so sure that she knew exactly what she was going to say to him. However, the instant she caught up with him, all of her confidence was thrown entirely out of the window. This always happened when she was around him, and even now that she was a genin, she still couldn't hold herself together.

After taking a moment to compose herself, she continued, "I just wanted to say that you and your team did a good job during the training exercise," she complimented. "I hear that you managed to defeat Kiba and Shino."

She could have pretended that she wasn't surprised when she heard the news, but that would have been a lie. Even someone as strong as Naruto shouldn't have been able to defeat two opponents at once. Especially if one of them was Shino. Apparently, he'd somehow managed to use a clone jutsu that allowed him to make solid copies of himself. That was something she could have loved to see with her Byakugan.

"Yeah. Kiba was annoying as usual," Naruto replied. "And Shino was way tougher than I thought. If you had been with them, I probably wouldn't have won."

Initially, Hinata felt her cheeks flush at the praise. Naruto had always been incredibly confident, so for him to openly admit that her involvement could have tipped the scales of battle out of his favor, it meant that he took her seriously as a shinobi. But once she recalled her defeat at the hands of Sayuri, she felt herself overcome with shame once more. How could she ever hope to stand at Naruto's side if she couldn't even be his equal?

The two eventually sat down on one of the many benches that lined the roadside and talked for what Hinata felt was an eternity. With every exchanged word, she felt her discomfort subside more and more. Naruto was far more easygoing than he came off, and talking with him was no sweat. He was incredibly witty, always replying with some kind of clever remark that couldn't help but make her smile. It was fun.

"I always knew that Sayuri was strong," Hinata brought up, changing the topic of conversation. "But when we fought, I felt a clear difference in our strength. It was almost as if the result of our fight was inevitable, no matter how hard I tried."

Naruto's expression grew pensive as he appeared to contemplate her words. She couldn't even begin to guess what he was thinking. Ever since she had first laid eyes on him, Naruto was someone that would be best described as enigmatic. He didn't seem interested in getting to know anyone back at the Academy, so all she could do was observe him from afar, which was how she was able to learn so much about him.

Watching him rise from being an unknown kid to the number one ranked student in class was what inspired her to take her training more seriously. Naruto didn't have a fancy surname that anyone in the village would recognize like she or the other clan heirs in their class did. At face value, he should have never been able to rise above their heirs of all of the Leaf Village's most powerful clans, and yet he did! If he could defy his odds and succeed, then so could she.

"There's always next time," Naruto finally replied, causing Hinata's eyes to widen. "If anything, the real winner of a spar is the one who loses. The winner learns nothing, but the loser learns where they still need to grow. You lose now, so you'll win when it really counts."

Hinata continued to watch on as Naruto smirked, "I mean, you probably don't remember, but I used to get my ass kicked all the time," he confessed, much to her shock. "I almost thought about quitting a couple of times too, but at the end of the day, I was too stubborn."

Wait. Naruto almost gave up on being a shinobi? The very thought alone seemed ludicrous. Naruto took to the shinobi arts like a fish to water, and imagining him working some ordinary job with all of that unbridled potential lying dormant inside him was so alien that it was almost comical. She placed her hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle as she imagined Naruto bagging groceries with a disgruntled scowl on his face.

Naruto gave her an inquisitive side-eyed glance, looking as though he was about to ask what she found to be so funny. In the end, however, he decided against it. He'd said what he said to make her feel better, so he supposed her laughing meant that he had succeeded.

The two continued to talk for a bit before both eventually going their separate ways. As Hinata made her way back to her clan compound, she couldn't help but feel as though her spirit had been uplifted. Deciding to view today's loss as a learning experience, she was now more determined than ever to continue to grow.

And once again, she had only one person to thank.

* * *

" _Mom's gonna kill me," Sayuri complained to herself as she ran through the streets of Konoha, masked in the darkness of the night._

_As she finally made it to the Uchiha District, she skidded to a stop as she felt an eerie feeling creep up her spine. Sayuri looked up at the top of a utility pole where she could swear she just saw someone perched atop, watching her. She continued to stare at it for a few moments before shaking the thought from her mind and continuing on._

_However, she soon wished that she had stood in that spot for the remainder of her days, because once she ventured further into the district, she came upon a scene that would be engrained in her mind for the rest of her life. Bodies were littered about, all belonging to people she knew. Many were shinobi, many were civilians, but they were all her clansmen._

_Upon viewing the carnage, she did the first thing a child her age would think to do and immediately hightailed it toward her house, where she hoped her parents would be. The possibility of them being dead as well crossed her mind for a single moment, but she crushed it instantly. Her father was the head of the Konoha Military Police, and her brother was a renowned prodigy. If anyone was alive, it was them._

_As she ran through the compound, she developed a tunnel vision, blocking out the various bodies littering the streets. She currently felt as if she was navigating through a bad dream, and at any moment she expected to wake up a sweaty mess in her bed. If only reality were so kind._

_When she first entered her home, she couldn't help but be unnerved by the almost alien silence. For the entirety of her existence, her family had been her consistent reality, and now, she felt as if she were standing alone in her house for the first time. Could it be possible? Could they really be…?_

" _NO!" she shouted to herself, interrupting her own thoughts. The sheer volume of her voice startled her, only for it to be swallowed up by the same suffocating silence._

_She searched the house high and low, finding nothing through the slow and arduous process. With every room she found empty, her heart sank deeper and deeper into despair. In the end, she found herself standing in front of the only room she hadn't checked – the great room, the largest room in the entire house. As she stood before the double doors, she inhaled a deep breath and closed her eyes as she slowly pushed them open._

_Upon doing so, Sayuri was greeted with a sight beyond even her worst nightmares. She wasn't quite sure what she had expected, but deep down, she knew what she was walking into. Nevertheless, seeing her parents sprawled atop one another on the floor in a bloody heap was worse than anything she could have imagined. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out._

" _M-Mother...Father."_

_They were clearly dead, but a voice inside of her head was chanting over and over that this couldn't be happening. She made to approach them but stopped when she noticed movement in the shadows at the back of the room. Whoever was back there did this, that much was obvious._

_However, imagine her surprise when she saw brother emerge from the shadows. At first, she was relieved to know that he was alive, but then she took note of his appearance and demeanor. He was wearing his Anbu armor, and his facial expression revealed nothing. Her brother had always been a stoic person; however, the look on his face didn't belong to a person who just saw their parent's dead bodies._

" _Itachi," she asked. "What's going on? Who did this?"_

_Her answer was a shuriken whizzing by her left shoulder, slicing her arm and embedding in the doors behind her. She was too shocked to speak, gripped the bleeding wound, and winced. It was a momentary distraction from the recent devastating developments, but her attention was grabbed tightly once more when she remembered that she wasn't alone in the room._

" _You were always foolish...little sister."_

_Crimson Sharingan eyes gleamed in the darkness, and she was too inexperienced to look away. Suddenly, they switched to a different pattern, and she felt herself transported into what felt like another world._

_Her eyes opened, and she immediately noticed that she was in a completely different plane of existence. The sky was blood-red, and everything around her appeared in colors of black and white. She looked down at her arms and noticed that she, too, was effected by the color change._

_Sayuri was unable to move her body, and as she stood in place, she was forced to watch the members of her clan being slaughtered around her. No matter how much she screamed or shouted, it changed nothing, and she could only watch in frozen horror as everything she loved was taken away before her very eyes._

" _Stop it, Itachi!" Sayuri shouted with tears in her eyes. "Stop showing me this!"_

_Sayuri was given no time to grieve as she was brought back to her home, where she now saw Itachi looming behind her parents with his sword raised. She was too exhausted to scream anymore._

" _Please...Itachi," Sayuri begged with tears streaming down her face. "Father and mother."_

_Her eyes glazed over in misery as she watched the sword cleave into her parent's flesh._

" _You failure."_

_With a shock, Sayuri looked up toward her father and saw that his corpse had raised its head to look at her. With every word he spoke, blood leaked out of his mouth and onto her mother's chest. His face was twisted in a scowl that made her want to puke her guts out. Sayuri could would have never imagined her father looking at her this way._

" _You could never make me proud," he continued, breaking her heart. "Now our clan is left with only you. Pathetic..."_

_She could find no words to describe her misery, and merely watched on in shock as her father's corpse continued to issue out insult after insult, lamenting how pathetic, weak, and disappointing she was. It took a toll on her mental state, and she was praying that the torture would end._

_When it did, Sayuri collapsed face-first into the ground. Her mind was a mess, and her body was sore and groggy as if she had just undergone the most physically taxing training of her entire life. Itachi looked down at her impassively, though from what she could tell, there was a twinkle of disgust hidden within his eyes._

" _Why...Itachi…?" she asked. "Why would you do this?"_

_Itachi remained quiet for a while before responding, "To test the limits...of my ability."_

_The response shocked Sayuri almost as much as the bizarre torture she had just experience had. It wasn't that she expected some sort of rational excuse for her brother's actions, but now she was beginning to realize one simple fact. Her brother was insane._

" _You murdered every single member of our clan, to test your ability?" Sayuri asked, her voice having calmed down considerably due to rage. She then rose from the ground and sprinted toward him, prepared to attack._

" _YOU'RE OUT OF YOUR MIND!" she yelled._

_Her admittedly gutsy attack was stopped instantly by a hard fist to her gut. The wind was knocked out of her, and she collapsed back to the ground. Feeling her brother looming above her, as if she were an insect, she realized the difference between their power._

" _I-I don't want to die," she stammered, unintentionally voicing her thoughts._

_Sayuri found her legs again, but this time, she ran in the other direction. She burst through the double doors and immediately exited her childhood home, symbolically leaving it behind. Her adrenaline took over, and she hardly remembered anything she was doing as she ran through the district with no particular destination in mind._

_Her escape was stopped, however, when she turned a corner and found Itachi standing, waiting for her. It further reinforced just how hopeless her situation was. Itachi was so much stronger than her, or anyone she had ever met for that matter._

" _Please don't kill me," she begged, her desire for survival overpowering her need for justice or revenge._

_Itachi looked toward her, his expression still not having changed at all since she found him standing over her parent's bodies. He was far more terrifying than any monster she had ever heard of. His face and demeanor revealed nothing, and she could only be left to imagine what was going through his sick mind._

" _You aren't even worth killing," Itachi stated, almost dismissively. "Foolish little sister, if you wish to kill me, then hate me, detest me, curse me. Continue to survive. Even if it means living in such an unsightly manner as this. Run away. Cling to your wretched life. Then, one day, when you possess the same eyes that I do, come before me."_

_His strange-looking Sharingan then flared to life once more, and Sayuri collapsed to the ground._

Sayuri awoke with a start. She was practically hyperventilating as he eyes frightfully darted around his room like a frightened animal. Once she realized where she was and that she was safe, she placed her face in her hands and released a slow and shaky breath. That nightmare was actually pretty frequent, and in a way, she was grateful for that. It served as a constant reminder of what she needed to do, and why.

Regardless, she gripped her sheets in anger all the same. Itachi had been living rent-free in her head for some time now. Sayuri imagined it was what he wanted. The idea that even to this day, she couldn't erase his face from her mind was probably something that would bring a sick smile to his face. He was the devil, after all. He loved making her suffer.

Sayuri shook her head to purge the memories from her head. She was still trembling, and her body was dripping with sweat, but despite herself, she couldn't help but grin. It wasn't a happy smile. In fact, it was a lot like Naruto's. She was pleased to finally be experiencing meaning progress. She had the Sharingan now. She was one step closer to putting Itachi in the ground once and for all.

And when that day arrived, she could finally sleep.

* * *

**~End~**

* * *

**Here's to another upload. If the quality of the writing seemed lower at some points in this chapter it's probably because I wrote certain sections a while ago. Some of these scenes were actually from a story I was writing a couple of years ago, and I repurposed them for this story.**

**Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and are excited for the next. I'm actually really proud of Chapter 3. I feel like it's one of the best chapters I've ever written. The only time I felt as pleased about the quality of a chapter was when I wrote Chapter 2 of "Naruto: The Second Coming" so look forward to that.**


	3. My Name is Konohamaru!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. All characters in this story, excluding those that are created by me, are the intellectual property of Masashi Kishimoto. Please show support by reading or watching the original source material.**

* * *

**~Confronting the Shadow: Chapter Three~**

* * *

" **My Name is Konohamaru!"**

"Tell me, Naruto. How do you like your new squad?" the Hokage asked with a smile.

For whatever reason, he'd been summoned to the Hokage Tower first thing in the morning. It was odd, seeing as this was probably the first time he'd ever been alone with the leader of his village. Initially, he wasn't sure if he should be worried or excited, but either way, he was admittedly nervous. This was the Professor – the man widely considered to be the strongest of the Five Kage.

Naruto took a moment to ponder his response. Honestly, he hadn't really thought about his impression of his teammates that much. Sakura nice enough, he supposed. At the very least, she proved to be far more pleasant than he had initially thought she would be, which, admittedly, was more his fault than hers. Similarly, Kakashi-sensei was proving himself to be a surprise as well. He came off as a bit of a slouch at times, but he'd actually taught Naruto a lot. As for Sayuri…

"They're alright, I guess," he answered, hoping that the shortness of his answer wouldn't cause any offense. He honestly couldn't just think of much to say.

He realized that it was fine when the man nodded in apparent satisfaction. He then pulled what appeared to be a pipe from his desk and packed it with some tobacco. He lit it with a small flame from the end of his finger before inhaling. Naruto could see a visible relaxation in the old man's shoulders, and he exhaled the smoke in a small cloud that hovered briefly around his face before dissipating.

"Kakashi tells me that you've mastered the Multi-Shadow Clone jutsu," the Hokage continued, causing Naruto to straighten up in his chair.

Naruto nodded in confirmation before straitening his posture a bit as he realized he was beginning to lean back in his chair. "Thanks for that, by the way. Kakashi-sensei told me that it was you who gave him permission to teach it to me."

The Hokage waved off his gratitude, "There's no need. The speed in which you learned it only confirmed my suspicions about you," he responded. "Did you know that it was my sensei, the Second Hokage, who created that jutsu? He was also the person responsible for labeling it as forbidden."

"Yeah, Kakashi-sensei said something about it being dangerous," Naruto clarified. "I haven't noticed anything bad so far, though. But now that I've said that it'll probably end up killing me tomorrow."

The Hokage openly laughed at his reply, which caused Naruto to relax a bit as he began to realize that the Hokage was actually a pretty laidback guy. "Let's hope not," he replied. "Though with chakra like yours, I doubt you'll have any issues."

Here it was again, another remark about his chakra. Was it really that abnormal? He'd always known that he had vast reserves. Still, according to Kakashi and the Hokage, he apparently had enough to easily abuse a jutsu that most people would die of exhaustion from even attempting.

"Have you noticed anything else about it?" the Hokage continued, leaning forward a bit.

Anything else? Honestly, Naruto thought the jutsu was pretty simple to understand. But clearly, there was more to it than what he had initially believed.

"Was I supposed to?"

The Hokage waved him for the second time, "Don't worry, it's easy to miss. Create a clone, and I will show you."

Eager to learn, Naruto was quick to comply. He stood from his chair and formed the hand seal that had been ingrained in his muscle memory over the past week.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu."

In a puff of smoke, a perfect tangible copy stood at his side. The Hokage gave the clone a quick up and down before apparently smiling in approval of the clone's quality.

"Excellent," he complimented before turning to the clone. "Please leave the room and speak with my secretary. Ask her to tell you her name. After you've finished, dispel."

Naruto and the clone were both equally confused, but the latter of the two nodded in acceptance of the task before leaving the office. He shut the door behind him, leaving Naruto and the Hokage alone once more. Though, technically, even when the clone was there with them, it was still just the two of them.

"Do clones ever, you know, not want to dispel?" Naruto asked. The thought had crossed his mind a couple of times, and he couldn't think of a better person to ask than the Professor.

The Hokage chuckled at the question, "That would present an interesting ethical dilemma, would it not?" he responded. "No. Clones don't view themselves as individuals. They think of themselves as an extension of an original body. When they dispel, they're simply returning to their body."

Naruto nodded. That made sense, and certainly made him feel less conflicted about creating clones only to force them out of existence. It felt the worst when he used them for menial tasks like doing chores, which he was sure someone like Iruka-sensei would call an abuse of the jutsu. Anyway, he was glad that they didn't; otherwise, he'd have to go back to cleaning his apartment on his own.

Suddenly, Naruto felt his mind invaded by memories that were not his own. The look of confusion on his face must have been evident because the Hokage was quick to smirk before exhaling another puff of smoke.

"What is the name of my secretary, Naruto?" he asked, as if he knew that he'd know the answer.

"Fumi," Naruto answered as he recalled asking her. He also recalled the weird look she gave him when he asked.

The Hokage nodded, "Now do you see?" he asked.

When his clones dispelled, the memories of what they experienced were passed onto him. It was something that seemed so obvious, and yet, he hadn't noticed it at all in the week that he had been using the jutsu. He supposed it was because whenever he used the jutsu, his clones were assisting him with stuff that he was doing, so they were simply another viewpoint for something that he was already seeing.

"Yeah, I get it," Naruto responded. "Is this what today's meeting was for?"

"Partly, yes," the Hokage explained before looking Naruto directly in the eyes. "But more importantly, I need you to complete an important mission, my boy."

Naruto's brows raised slightly. A mission without his team? That was certainly strange.

"What kind of mission?"

The Hokage smiled, though it was different from the grandfatherly smile that Naruto was accustomed to.

"I need you to babysit my grandson."

One would have been able to hear a pin fall in the office.

"Babysit?" Naruto repeated, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

The Hokage, however, retained his hint of amusement, "Yes. I worry about him. He keeps getting into trouble."

"What kind of trouble?"

Apparently, not all that concerned about it, the Hokage shrugged, "He spends most of his free time either evading his attendants or attempting to assassinate me. Normal boy behavior, as I'm sure you already know."

Did he say assassinate?

"Anyway, I think he could use someone like you in his life," the Hokage continued. "A role model close to his age would do him quite a bit of good."

From the look in the Hokage's eye, it didn't appear as though he was being granted the option to decline, so he sighed and reluctantly accepted the mission. As he left the office, he couldn't help but curse his sensei. There was no doubt in his mind that his Kakashi was perfectly happy to let the Hokage borrow him for the day for something as ridiculous as this. He was probably chuckling about it right now – all the while with that stupid book in his face, no doubt.

Back in the office, the Hokage continued smoking his pipe in peace. What a nice young man Naruto Uzumaki had grown to be. According to Kakashi, the boy was somewhat difficult to deal with, but he accepted the mission without much of a fuss. Still, it was evident that he was upset. He could live with that though. Besides, Naruto would be grateful for the mission later, though he doubted he'd get any thanks anytime soon.

'You both need this,' he thought to himself with a warm smile. 'You just don't know it yet.'

* * *

Morning turned to afternoon, and Naruto found himself waiting outside of the Academy, a place he hadn't really thought much about since his graduation. It was strange. As he watched the rank and file students leaving class, he felt as if he were already so different than them, even though it had only been a week since he became a genin. Had he actually changed all that much, or was he always a fish out of water at the Academy?

Or was he actually just an arrogant prick, as Sayuri tended to say?

This was where he'd be picking up the boy – Konohamaru, as he was apparently called. Admittedly, a fitting name for a child born from the bloodline of a Hokage. He didn't quite know what his new "client" looked like, but he'd been told that the staff was going to bring the boy to him. That was a relief, because as he looked into the sea of children, he doubted his ability to even identify someone that he knew, let alone someone he didn't.

Though, someone who was rather easy to identify was Iruka-sensei, who just so happened to be his teacher during his Academy tenure. The man weaved through the crowd of children, and as he got closer, Naruto saw what looked like a sheepish look on his face. He immediately felt his stomach sink.

"Hey there, Naruto," Iruka greeted with a nervous chuckle. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Konohamaru is missing."

Naruto blinked, "Missing?"

Iruka had the decency to look a bit embarrassed, "This happens a lot. He'll slip out from under someone's nose to play hooky. A lot of teachers just let him get away with it because he's the Third's grandson," he confessed. "The boy reminds me quite a bit of Kiba, actually. And just when I thought I'd finally gotten rid of that stress in my life..."

"Yeah, but what about me?" Naruto groaned. "I was told you'd bring him to me. I don't even know what he looks like."

Thankfully, Iruka had apparently considered this problem in advance. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph of a young, angry-looking kid with black eyes, and a grey helmet with a hole at the top that revealed spiky brown hair. Admittedly, Naruto had never seen the Hokage without his gray hair and aged skin, so he had to assume that this was what most Sarutobi clan members looked like.

"He's a cheeky-looking twerp, isn't he?" he mumbled to himself, which earned an eye roll from Iruka.

"You've never been all that normal yourself, Naruto," Iruka countered.

Choosing to ignore the comment, Naruto observed the picture a bit more in order to commit it to his memory. In all likelihood, he was about to embark upon a wild goose chase of the highest order. He supposed this only made things more entertaining for the Hokage. In fact, he wouldn't be at all surprised if the old man had known that something like this would happen.

It got Naruto thinking. Perhaps this was a test? He was given a high-priority client that he was tasked with protecting. Now, his client was missing, and all he had was a rudimentary understanding of the boy's physical appearance, but not much in the way of his routine or personality. Though, it was pretty apparent that he was a delinquent of sorts. Who else would skip class and attempt to murder their own grandfather on a regular basis?

"Who's someone that might know where he is?" Naruto inquired, figuring that it would make the most sense to speak with the person who was most familiar with Konohamaru.

Iruka was quick to reply, "That would be Mizuki," he responded, looking somewhat pleased that he was allowed to transfer the burden of this issue onto someone else. "He's actually still here, I think. You can catch him before he leaves if you're quick enough. Try the training grounds."

"So, to find a kid that I've never met before, all I have to do is find an Academy instructor that I've never met before?" Naruto inquired, causing Iruka to scratch the back of his head and chuckle.

"He's got white hair, green eyes, and a bandana for a headband. Outside of that, he wears the same uniform as me," Iruka elaborated, answering the unspoken question. "Not the flashiest-looking guy around, but you shouldn't have any trouble finding him."

Naruto nodded in thanks before navigating through the crowds of children into the direction of the training ground. It was the part of the Academy that he was most familiar with, barring, of course, the classroom where he attended classes for six years of his life. Many evenings were spent at the training grounds when everyone else had gone home. Knowing that he was still working while everyone else was sleeping or relaxing always seemed to give him a mental edge.

Speaking of relaxation, when he found Mizuki, he discovered that the man was relaxing under a tree. Upon seeing him, Naruto realized that he recognized the man, having seen him around the Academy from time to time. He always came off as a nice enough guy, but that impression was based only on the barest of interactions.

"Mizuki-sensei?" Naruto spoke up, which alerted the chunin to his presence.

Mizuki smiled kindly and stood to his feet, "Well, if it isn't one of Iruka's students. Naruto, right?" he greeted before gesturing toward Naruto's new headband. "Though I suppose it's 'former student' now."

He extended a hand to shake, and Naruto reciprocated the gesture.

"I'm looking for Konohamaru Sarutobi," Naruto explained. "Iruka-sensei told me that you're close with him."

Mizuki seemed to ponder the information before smiling once more, "Well, I always try to speak with Konohamaru from time to time. You know? I think he appreciates it too. I imagine it must be difficult having to get through every day as the Hokage's grandson."

Naruto wasn't one to pass judgment on someone that he'd never met, and yet, he couldn't really follow Mizuki's logic. Sure, being the Hokage's grandson didn't automatically equate to a happy life. Still, it almost seemed like Mizuki was trying to say that it was his relation to the Hokage that actually caused Konohamaru difficulty. Doubtful. When thinking about what it would be like to live as the grandson of the Hokage, only the perks came to mind.

"Yeah, I bet," Naruto agreed, though it was apparent that he didn't. "I'm supposed to look after him. It's a mission directly from the Hokage. Can't really do that if I don't know where he is."

Mizuki chuckled softly, "Then you'll no doubt have your hands full," he replied. "Even those of us trained to supervise children have trouble with Konohamaru. He hardly respects authority. But, in the end, you're not much of an authority figure anyway. Maybe that's why Lord Hokage chose you for this mission? Perhaps a different approach is just what Konohamaru has been needing?"

And here Naruto was thinking that the Hokage gave him this mission for his own personal amusement. While he still found that to be more likely than what Mizuki was proposing, it was still an interesting theory. Konohamaru may be more likely to relate to someone closer to his age; however, if he was similar to Kiba, as Iruka-sensei claimed, they shared little in common.

"You seem pretty invested in all of this," Naruto observed. "He's Iruka-sensei's student, not yours. Why do you even care?"

"And he needs to be my student for me to care?" Mizuki countered with a raised brow. "It's that kind of attitude that leads to children like Konohamaru having trouble in the first place. Iruka is a good man and a good teacher, but sometimes he focuses too much on correcting behavior and not enough on finding the root of the problem."

Naruto stuffed his hands into his pockets, "And the root of Konohamaru's problems?"

"He's the Hokage's grandson," Mizuki responded, as if it were obvious. "In his eyes, that's all he is and all he'll ever be. People don't see him for who he is. When the villagers show him respect, they're actually respecting his status and his lineage, not him. He's a clever boy and has picked up on this."

This was all beginning to amount to a load of useless information in the eyes of Naruto. He had not time to continue this conversation, seeing as every moment that went by meant that Konohamaru was possibly getting further and further away. He had been thinking that getting the kid to follow his instructions would be the most challenging part of this mission. And here he was, nearly an hour into it and he hadn't even found the brat yet.

"Do you know where he could be or not?"

If Mizuki was annoyed by the dismissal of his explanation, it didn't show. Clearly, he was a very patient man, which was likely why he appeared to be in the corner of a troublemaker like Konohamaru in the first place. Any other teacher would have likely gotten sick of the bullshit by long ago.

"He tries to act like he hates it, but Konohamaru loves training," Mizuki revealed. "I'd try checking the training grounds around the village."

With a nod of appreciation, Naruto turned to leave; however, he stopped when he felt a hand placed lightly on his shoulder. Mizuki was looking at him with a slight frown, "I hope you can find it in yourself to give Konohamaru a chance. You'd be one of the few that has if you do."

Naruto honestly didn't know that the Academy had such dedicated teachers. Iruka-sensei had always seemed to care about his job, but at the end of class, he always appeared just as eager to get home as any of the students. And here was Mizuki, who seemed as though his entire life revolved around his students and his job. Hell, this whole conversation was about a kid that wasn't even one of his students in the first place.

"No promises, but I'll try to go there with an open mind," Naruto relented, mostly to appease the man.

It seemed to do the trick, as Mizuki smiled kindly once more before removing his hand from Naruto's shoulder. He then nodded in farewell, and Naruto finally left the training ground. Now alone, however, Mizuki's expression shifted into a glare as he watched the blond Uzumaki walk away.

He supposed plans were made to be changed anyway. Still, this Uzumaki brat was going to be a pain in the ass.

* * *

It took him a while, but after searching multiple training grounds, Naruto was finally able to find a kid who matched the photo that Iruka-sensei had given him. He was currently standing at the center of a clearing, performing the ram hand sign, and showing clear signs of exertion on his face. Apparently, Mizuki-sensei was right. The kid did seem to enjoy training.

Though, based on what he was seeing, he wasn't getting anywhere. With his presence still remaining unknown, Naruto's eyes searched the ground at his feet until he saw a perfectly intact green leaf. It reminded him of the training that he had done as a kid and gave him an excellent idea. With that in mind, he finally decided to make his presence known.

"Making a hand sign and focusing intensely isn't enough to actually summon your chakra," Naruto commented, causing Konohamaru to nearly jump in shock. "It just makes it look like you're about to crap your pants."

"What the – Who the hell are you?!" Konohamaru demanded, his voice sounding pretty much precisely like Naruto expected it to. Squeaky and whiny.

Hmmm, now what was the best way to approach this? Naruto was sure that there was probably some really clever way to go about it. For a moment, he even considered keeping the mission a secret, since he was confident that the kid probably wouldn't like knowing that his grandfather had assigned him a babysitter. But, the kid probably wasn't dumb enough to believe as lie anyway.

He eventually decided to be straight up about it, "I'm Naruto, and the Hokage tasked me with supervising you," he introduced. "Be good, and maybe I'll teach you how to actually mold that chakra of yours."

The boy stared at him, and Naruto nearly smirked as he thought he saw admiration in the boy's eyes. He likely saw his headband and realized that he was face-to-face with someone that could actually help him get on the fast track to being a shinobi. There was also the possibility that Konohamaru had heard his name mentioned at the Academy. He was kind of a big deal around there, after all.

"Why would I want advice from a guy named after a ramen topping?"

The response very nearly made Naruto topple forward. So much for admiration.

"Maybe because he knows what he's talking about?" Naruto questioned with an inquisitive gaze, akin to a fox sizing up a rabbit. "You're doing it all wrong."

Konohamaru scowled, and it looked as though the expression was created with his face in mind. It wasn't quite hatred, but it was certainly a look of scalding anger. It made Naruto wonder what the kid was even so mad about in the first place? Sure, being the Hokage's grandson probably wasn't all that great all of the time, but this kid was as edgy as Sayuri. The only difference was Sayuri hardly spoke, otherwise, Naruto was sure she'd be just as annoying.

Naruto smirked, "Am I wrong?" he asked, causing Konohamaru's brow to furrow even further. "Show me what you can do then."

Unsurprisingly, the kid didn't need to be asked twice. He lunged at Naruto without hesitation, attempting a punch that was easily avoided. Apparently not lacking in terms of endurance, he continued trying attack after attack, though each proved to be even less successful than the last. He had the temperament of Kiba, but none of the skill. It was almost comical when he thought about it in that way.

"Hold still, you bastard!" Konohamaru roared as he reared his hand back for another telegraphed haymaker.

It was predictable enough for Naruto to have time to roll his eyes before catching the fist in his palm. Konohamaru appeared shocked, and before he could react, his wrist was grabbed, and he felt his body become weightless. Time seemed to slow as he was effortlessly flung into the air before slamming onto the ground like a sack of potatoes. In the end, he could do naught but groan.

"Well, that was something," he heard Naruto casually remark. "You tired yet?"

It was at that moment that Naruto finally understood the sick pleasure that Kakashi derived from humiliating him during the bell test.

Rather than continue to taunt him, Naruto approached the now prone boy and crouched in front of his face. He felt pleased when he noticed hints of both respect and fear in Konohamaru's eyes, though it was obvious that the former was inspired by the latter. Not that it mattered. So long as he wasn't irritating, Naruto honestly didn't care.

"And here I was just trying to help you out," Naruto lectured. "It's not even a part of my mission, and yet for some reason, I guess I was feeling nice today."

Konohamaru groaned, "That was you being nice?"

"Yep," Naruto responded before holding out the leaf he had picked up earlier. "Here. Something to occupy your time."

A leaf? Naruto was confident that Konohamaru had no idea what he was getting at.

Konohamaru sat up and rubbed the back of his now aching head, "What do I do with it?"

"It's called the Leaf Concentration Drill," Naruto explained, in the same way it had been explained to him by Iruka-sensei when he was around Konohamaru's age. "You place the leaf on your forehead, and you focus your chakra onto it so that it stays in place."

He was honestly surprised that Iruka-sensei hadn't taught this to Konohamaru yet. It was clear the boy needed it, seeing as though he apparently had trouble concentrating his chakra. Seeing as chakra was literally the foundation of nearly all of the skills a shinobi possessed, it was odd that the kid was being left to figure it out on his own.

"Iruka-sensei would have probably taught you this a while ago if you didn't skip class so much," Naruto remarked before handing the leaf over to Konohamaru. Thankfully, the kid accepted without protest.

Konohamaru scoffed, "I don't need to go to class to learn how to be a shinobi," he countered before placing the leaf on his forehead. Almost immediately, the leaf fell fluttered toward the grass at his feet.

Before it could reach the ground, Konohamaru bent over and nab it out of the air. He glared at the leaf as if it alone was responsible for his failure. He was quick to attempt the drill again, which resulted in another failure. The display made Naruto smile a bit. Sure, the kid was letting his emotions get the best of him, but at least he kept trying each time he failed. It would only be a matter of time before he realized that he'd need to calm down and focus if he wanted to succeed.

* * *

**(One Hour Later)**

"Dammit!" Konohamaru shouted after yet another failure.

In the distance, Naruto sat leaning against a tree, staring a Konohamaru with a deadpan expression. He'd thought that the kid would come to his senses and realize that what he was doing wasn't ever going to work. And yet, an hour had passed, and he still hadn't asked for any advice at all. He wasn't sure if it was pride that prevented him from asking for help, or if he was too dense for the thought to even cross his mind. Nevertheless, Naruto was losing his patience.

The tree wasn't even good for napping on either.

"Sounds like someone could use some of Naruto-sensei's sagely knowledge," Naruto spoke up before standing from his seated position. "How about it?"

Konohamaru, who was once again glaring holes into the leaf for what seemed like the hundredth time. He was about to reply to the offer with a snarky comment but remembered the ass-kicking he'd just suffered, so he decided to be more respectful, "Alright, fine," he relented. "But, I'm not calling you sensei!"

"I think I can live with that," Naruto responded in a laidback tone before taking the leaf out of Konohamaru's hand. "Before you can even try the exercise again, you need to show me that you can relax."

Almost immediately, Konohamaru gave him an incredulous look, "Relax, really? That's it?" he replied, sounding a bit disappointed. "I thought you said you knew how to do this!"

Naruto simply shrugged, "I do, but none of my awesome wisdom will do you any good as you currently are," he explained. "The whole point of the drill is to teach concentration, and to concentrate, you need to be able to let loose a bit."

"You said Iruka-sensei was the one who taught you this drill, but he's the most uptight teacher at the Academy," Konohamaru responded, clearly a bit skeptical. "I bet he's never relaxed for a moment and his life, and he can still do it. Why do I need to?"

"I'm not saying that my way is the only way," Naruto elaborated. "But it's definitely more fun than the way that they would teach you at the Academy."

Despite himself, Konohamaru felt a bit excited, "Fun?" he asked. "How's that?"

Naruto grinned.

* * *

Konohamaru's brow twitched in irritation as he was now submerged neck-deep in a hot spring. At his side was Naruto, who seemed to be enjoying the soak far more than he was. This was what Naruto considered to be training? As of right now, Konohamaru was beginning to wonder if his temporary guardian was using this as an excuse to go to have a soak!

"Well, this is stupid," Konohamaru snidely remarked with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

He had expected a reply, but he received none. A bit put off at being ignored, Konohamaru opened his eyes and leaned in closer to his companion, "And by stupid, I mean REALLY stupid."

Once again, his complaint went unacknowledged.

"Hey! Don't ignore me!"

Konohamaru then reached to poke Naruto's face but was stopped when faster than he could blink, the blonde grabbed him by the top of his head and pushed him underneath the water. It was only for a moment, and Konohamaru was quickly able to get back to the surface. After a moment of coughing and rubbing his eyes, he looked at his assailant and saw that he was still leaning against the edge of the hot spring as if he hadn't even moved at all.

"What the hell?!" Konohamaru shouted indignantly. "You tried to drown me!"

Naruto's eyes finally opened, and he sighed, "I'm going to be honest here, kid, you're making it pretty hard for me to have a good time right now."

After processing the response, Konohamaru nearly felt his eyes pop out of his head.

"This isn't supposed to be about you having a good time! You're supposed to be helping me figure out this stupid exercise!"

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Jeez, you're wound uptight," he critiqued. "You're the only person I've ever met who can't relax in a hot spring. It's kind of the whole point of going to one, ya know?"

"I can't see what's so relaxing about taking a bath with a bunch of naked guys!" Konohamaru practically growled.

"We're the only ones in here," Naruto replied in an exasperated tone – his expression deadpan.

Realizing that it wasn't working, Naruto thought back to a time when his mentor had taught him about the wonders of hot springs. Just thinking back on it made him chuckle a bit under his breath. Back then, he was probably even more of a pain in the ass than Konohamaru was now.

Konohamaru's brows raised in confusion as Naruto stepped out of the water and wrapped a towel around his waist. He gestured for Konohamaru to do so as well, and after a moment of hesitation, the younger boy complied. Naruto then leaned against the wall of the hot spring and placed a finger over his lips as a signal that they needed to be quiet. Then, much to the young boy's shock, a kunai seemingly made from solid red energy appeared in the older boy's hand out of thin air.

"How did you do that?" Konohamaru whispered in awe.

Naruto shrugged, "Don't ask questions. Just watch."

Then, somewhat unpredictably, Naruto placed the tip of the kunai into the wooden wall and began twisting it as if he was drilling a hole. The strange red kunai seemed to make quick work of the wood as well, faster than any standard metal weapon would have been able to. It was once the task was completed that Konohamaru heard it. The giggling.

"Go ahead and take a look," Naruto casually instructed, with a smirk that made Konohamaru nervous.

For whatever reason, with each step toward the freshly drilled hole, Konohamaru felt as though he was wading through quicksand. His heart thumped rhythmically in his chest – though, by the way it pounded against his eardrums, it felt as though it was trapped inside of his skull.

He leaned forward. Just to take a peek, and then he would pull away. He didn't trust Naruto – not one bit. Just a quick peek was all he needed. When he finally gazed through the hole, his body froze as he looked upon a bounty that he had never known he needed to see. For once, his mind wasn't awash with thoughts, and his body visibly relaxed, causing Naruto to smirk.

"Is...is this heaven?"

After a few more minutes, that to Konohamaru felt like a blissful eternity, he was pulled back from what he had been seeing, and before he could yell in indignation, he was slapped in the forehead. The force of the blow caused him to stagger back a bit, though he managed to maintain his balance before he had the misfortune of falling into the hot spring.

Konohamaru glared harshly, "What the hell was that–"

Naruto interrupted him before he could continue, opting to simply point at his own forehead while smiling smugly. Bright enough to get the message, Konohamaru quickly reached up to his forehead and was shocked by what he felt. A leaf. And not just any leaf, the same damned leaf that he had been slaving over all afternoon while trying to master that stupid exercise.

He'd...done it?

"Well, what do you know," Naruto remarked. "Seems like I was right."

Konohamaru could do no more than stare at the infernal leaf, as if removing it from his gaze would erase the apparent progress that he had made. Without thought, he placed the leaf on his forehead once more and focused his energy toward it, as he had earlier in his training. This time, however, the leaf did not flutter to the ground, but stayed fixed in place, held by an invisible force.

"I did it," Konohamaru whispered in wonderment. He then shifted his attention back to Naruto. "But how?"

Naruto shrugged, "It's not all that complicated of an exercise," he explained. "That hour of training ingrained the drill into you, and now that you've finally relaxed your mind, it was as simple as just trying again. Your brain just needed to catch up with your body."

The light of the afternoon sun seemed to shine directly onto Naruto's back, illuminating him as if he were some kind of descended angel. Konohamaru didn't know if he'd go that far, but it was apparent that this Naruto guy was more than he had initially seemed. He had a way of explaining things in a way that Konohamaru could understand. Back at the Academy, the teachers always spoke as if they were reading straight out of a textbook, but with Naruto, it felt like a genuine conversation.

"Chakra is formed when you combine your physical and spiritual energy," Naruto continued. "You can be as diligent as you want with your physical training, but if your mental training is lacking, you'll never be able to use your chakra and become a real shinobi."

Konohamaru was in complete awe, as if everything was finally coming together for him. It made so much sense. All this time, he'd only been doing half of what it took to actually be a shinobi. The realization came with a bit of shame as he realized that Iruka-sensei had been trying to teach him this kind of stuff all along. All those days where he'd struggle to try and get his unruly student to attend class had actually been with his benefit in mind, and he was just throwing it back into his face.

Thinking back, Mizuki-sensei had always likened him to a trailblazer, saying that there was no one way to becoming a shinobi and that he should embrace his determination to forge his own path. It was only now that he began to realize that it was just an excuse for him to do whatever he wanted. Nobody could learn alone. Even his grandfather had grown up with mentors of his own. It was then that Konohamaru got a fantastic idea.

"Take me on as your student!"

Naruto blanked at the request, which came off as more of a declaration than anything else, "Huh?"

* * *

Konohamaru sat on his bed, arms crossed and a petulant expression on his face. No matter how many times he begged, Naruto refused to take him on as a student. It was so stupid! That jerk was the one who decided to teach him stuff today anyway. And now that Konohamaru wanted to learn more, he suddenly didn't have any interest in helping him anymore!?

"He's just like the rest of them," Konohamaru muttered before falling back onto his mattress.

For a moment, he had actually tricked himself into thinking that Naruto was someone that cared about him. But once his mission to watch over him finally ended, he seemed almost eager to part ways. Even if he didn't want to be his teacher, he had at least thought that the blonde genin would wish to be his friend.

Suddenly, a tapping on his window shocked him out of his rumination. After very nearly falling out of his bed, Konohamaru looked outside to see Mizuki-sensei of all people sitting on his window sill. Despite being on good terms with him, Konohamaru was a bit weirded out by the sudden appearance. Sure, they'd talked a lot at the Academy, but this was the first time that Mizuki-sensei had sought him out outside of school.

Still, he had long since recognized Mizuki-sensei as one of the few people who genuinely cared about him, so after his brief moment of hesitation, he opened his window. He felt that his trust was justified when Mizuki-sensei simply smiled and greeted him without even attempting to get inside of his room.

"Sorry to come over so late, but I was too excited to wait to ask you tomorrow," Mizuki confessed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. He then grinned in excitement. "Well, tell me how your test went."

Konohamaru blinked in confusion, "Test? What test?"

He felt his stomach churn when Mizuki-sensei simply tilted his head at him, appearing incredibly perplexed. Had he missed something really important today? Upon reaching that conclusion, he began to sweat nervously. The only thing he could compare it to was someone in class asking you if you did the homework and then realizing that you'd completely forgotten.

"Wait, Naruto Uzumaki DID chaperone you today, right?" Mizuki asked, before looking alarmed when Konohamaru nodded in confirmation. "Oh...I...Never mind then."

The white-haired chunin then looked as though he was about to scamper off, but a shout of "Wait!" from Konohamaru was enough to cause him to freeze in place.

Konohamaru's hands gripped his bedsheets so tightly that his knuckles turned white, "What's going on, Mizuki-sensei?" he asked. "Please tell me."

The lack of an initial response made Konohamaru even more nervous. Mizuki-sensei was always one of the few people who were honest with him and told him how it was. Most people were willing to lie to stay on his good side, seeing as he was the grandson of the Third Hokage.

"Look, I'm probably not even supposed to tell you anything about this," Mizuki replied, looking incredibly conflicted. "Every year, Lord Hokage chooses the top-ranked prospect from the most recently graduated class and has them test the skills of a promising student that's currently enrolled at the Academy. If the student performs well, they're allowed to become a genin early."

Konohamaru's eyes nearly popped out of his head. So that's what today was about? His grandfather had sent Naruto to test him to see if he was ready to become a genin? It had been a bit suspicious that his grandfather would task a young genin with looking after him, seeing as he was usually supervised by Special Jonin that had particular expertise in tutoring children.

After coming to that understanding, Konohamaru was then crushed to realize that if Naruto was there to test him, he must have failed since he didn't end up being promoted to genin. What had he done wrong? He'd managed to complete the exercise that Naruto tasked him with! He then recalled how he and Naruto had initially fought during their meeting and how he got his ass kicked with no difficulty. Was that the test? Had Naruto stuck around after and helped him out of pity?

"Listen, Konohamaru. It's okay," Mizuki continued, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. "Most students don't even pass the test anyway. There's nothing to be ashamed about. You can still become a shinobi. You'll just have to wait and graduate with the rest of your peers."

At this point, Konohamaru was at his breaking point, "No, dammit!" he growled. "I have what it takes! There has to be another way that I can prove that I can do it."

In his agitated state, he failed to notice the devious smirk that spread across Mizuki's face.

"Well, there is one other way..."

* * *

Naruto awoke to a faint tapping on his window. Initially, he had thought that he had just been hearing things and tried to go back to sleep. However, when the tapping then turned to knocking, he groaned and slipped out of bed. Looking toward his clock, he noted that it was already past midnight. He frowned. Who the hell would be banging on his window so late at night?

Upon reaching his window, he was surprised to see Iruka-sensei of all people, who looked to be sweating bullets. Naruto rolled his eyes as he began to realize what was likely going on. He imagined that Konohamaru had probably gotten himself into some kind of trouble, and seeing as he had just spent the entire day with the little brat, it was likely that he was going to have to get involved. Great.

"You knocked?" Naruto asked after prying his window open, nearly flinching as the chilly evening breeze tickled his skin.

"Naruto, did anything strange happen while you were with Konohamaru today?" Iruka-sensei frantically asked – no, demanded.

Naruto sighed upon realizing that his initial assumption had been correct, "Not really," he replied before beginning to rub the sleep from his tired eyes. "Why? What'd he do?"

"He stole the Scroll of Seals."

Naruto nearly tripped over his own feet.

"He what?"

* * *

Konohamaru lay flat on his back, his body covered with dirt and burn marks. Lying next to him was the forbidden Scroll of Seals, now opened and unraveled as he had spent the better part of an hour skimming through it. After finally deciding on a jutsu, he trained harder than he ever had before. It was grueling, and there were several points where he felt as though his recklessness was putting him in danger; however, despite such worries, he continued.

This was his last chance, after all. He wouldn't fail. Not again.

"Huff...huff...huff...That should be enough," Konohamaru remarked after steadying his breath. Now he just needed to wait for Mizuki-sensei.

Almost as if things were going according to schedule, Konohamaru heard a faint thud as someone appeared to land in the clearing behind him. He grinned and rolled onto his stomach so that he could tell Mizuki-sensei the good news, but his smile was quickly replaced with a frown when he noticed that his new guest was Naruto of all people.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, making no effort to conceal his bitterness.

Oddly enough, Naruto appeared a bit more serious than usual. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, and his expression was solemn. Konohamaru also noticed that he looked as though he had just crawled out of bed, as he seemed to have disheveled hair and tired eyes. This caused Konohamaru to look toward the sky, and it was only then that he realized how late it actually was.

"You're joking, right?" Naruto remarked, his tone sardonic. "Also, why midnight? Couldn't you have screwed up during the day when I was already awake?"

Having enough, Konohamaru sprung to his feet with a surprising amount of vigor for someone who had just been training for hours. Standing face-to-face with Naruto now that the truth had been revealed to him, he couldn't be more resentful. Had Naruto come all this way to try and stop him from passing the test? Did he really hate him that much?

After having stood to his feet, Konohamaru crossed his arms, "Oh yeah? Well guess what?" he replied before smugly smiling. "I passed the test. I managed to learn a jutsu from the scroll. Now you'll have to get the old man to change his mind and give me that promotion."

Naruto's brow furrowed, "Test? What the hell are you going on about now?"

Nothing was more infuriating then someone continuing to lie even though they and the person they were deceiving already knew that the jig was up. Konohamaru felt his nails dig into his palms with enough force to nearly draw blood. It was a different kind of anger than he usually felt. Before, his frustration had no particular target and was directed toward everyone. Now, it was all focused on a single person, which upped the intensity like a flame in the wind.

"Stop lying to me!" Konohamaru shouted, sick of being treated as if he was some kind of idiot. "Mizuki-sensei told me all about it, so you can stop pretending."

It was always like this. Whether it was his grandfather, Iruka-sensei, Ebisu-sensei, or now Naruto. Everyone led him around by the nose like he was a damned dog. He wasn't deemed fit enough to make his own decisions. It was for that reason that his grandfather saddled him with attendants 24/7. It almost felt like he was some kind of prisoner, all because of the family that he happened to be born into.

"Mizuki-sensei?" Naruto pondered aloud before he frowned in realization.

A shift in the wind caused his back to stiffen, and he was forced to duck in order to avoid a Fūma Shuriken that would have would have separated his head from his neck. Upon looking over his shoulder, he was unsurprised to see Mizuki perched atop a tree branch, looking decidedly less pleasant than he had when they met earlier in the day.

"I knew you'd become a problem," Mizuki reflected, his tone laced with venom. "I'm not surprised, though. You were born to be a menace."

Konohamaru's anger was no replaced by frightened confusion, "Mizuki-sensei, what's going on?"

He took a step forward to approach his chunin instructor, but an extended arm from Naruto halted his advance. The newly minted genin had yet to take his eyes off of Mizuki, who was now retrieving another Fūma Shuriken from his back. It all but confirmed that he had been the one who attempted to kill Naruto mere moments ago – that is, if that wasn't already obvious.

"You've been duped, kid," Naruto revealed, confirming Konohamaru's fears. "This guy's bad news – obviously."

The comment caused Mizuki to openly laugh. It was a cruel laugh, one that made Konohamaru actually take a half step back in dismay. This wasn't Mizuki-sensei. It couldn't be! Mizuki-sensei wouldn't laugh like that. He wouldn't try to kill someone in cold blood.

"Funny coming from you of all people, Fox," Mizuki responded, causing Naruto to tense up.

"Konohamaru. You need to run now," Naruto quickly advised. "Don't look back, and don't listen to anything that he says."

Mizuki smirked, cruelly, "What? Afraid of your little secret getting out?"

Quick to action, Naruto unclipped his shuriken punch and unleash a barrage of sharpened steel. The attack was deftly avoided by Mizuki, who spun around to the other side of the tree branch, allowing it to take the damage that had been intended for him. His laughter then echoed throughout the clearing once more, as it was evident that he didn't register the two children below him as threats.

"You are, aren't you?" he taunted before raising his voice. "You hear that, Konohamaru? Naruto is keeping secrets from you as well. It's in his nature to deceive people."

Konohamaru pushed past Naruto's outstretched arm and clenched his fists in frustration, "What are you talking about?!"

He was then stopped when Naruto grabbed his shoulder tightly, yanking him back, "Did you not hear what I just told you?" he snapped. "Get the hell out of here. Now!"

At this point, Konohamaru was at his breaking point. He struggled wildly in Naruto's grip and eventually managed to wrench himself free, causing both he and Naruto to stagger. The blond in question looked surprised when he saw the expression of pure hurt that was plastered over Konohamaru's face. Gone was the childish anger and frustration, as it was now replaced with a look of a boy who had been betrayed and didn't know who to trust.

"Dammit, I'm sick of it!" he growled. "Stop trying to act like you want me to leave because you care about me, you bastard. You just want me to get lost because you think I'm a nuisance like everyone else. You think that I'll just get in your way!"

"Konohamaru-"

"I can fight too, you know!" Konohamaru interrupted. "I learned a jutsu from the scroll all by myself!"

Naruto made to speak once more but was forced to lunge forward and push Konohamaru to the ground to protect them both from yet another shuriken that had been thrown by Mizuki. This one, however, had very nearly been successful, and Naruto had received a moderately sized cut on his left arm as a reward for having allowed himself to be distracted. If he were an average person, he'd need stitches for sure.

He gritted his teeth in pain and glared up at Mizuki with bloodshot eyes that seemed to almost tremble with rage. The expression must have been rather intimidating, as it caused Mizuki to briefly pause in surprise. He then shook his head in apparent disgust before the cruel smirk returned to his face.

"Ah, so you finally begin to reveal yourself?" he observed. "Now you're almost like I expected you to look, Nine Tails."

Upon hearing the odd way that Mizuki addressed Naruto, Konohamaru looked up toward the blond genin and question and was shocked at what he saw. The fierce glare. The strange whisker-like marks that until now looked so foreign on his face. It all was beginning to make sense now. Naruto was…

"The Nine Tails?" Konohamaru muttered under his breath.

Young as he was, Konohamaru wasn't all that familiar with the details of the Nine Tails attack. What he did know was the many people died that night – his grandmother included. Even though twelve years had passed since that day, the tragedy was still quite a sore subject.

"That's right. Naruto is the very beast that killed so many of our people twelve years ago. He's the Nine Tailed Fox given a human form," Mizuki announced with spiteful glee, confirming Konohamaru's suspicions. "He's biding his time. Waiting for the perfect opportunity to reveal his true nature so that he can regain his former strength."

Was something like that even possible? If it was all true, then Naruto was a hell of an actor. Sure, he was an annoying prick who seemed to be really talented at pissing people off, but he never came off as evil or manipulative. In fact, Konohamaru felt completely comfortable around him. It was one of the reason's that he wanted to become his student.

"Are you finished?" Naruto replied, not sounding all that effected by Mizuki's talk.

Suddenly, two glowing-red chains seemed to sprout out of Naruto's back, with sharp points at the end that were poised to skewer the mouthy Academy instructor. Same as earlier, Mizuki allowed the tree to take the damage in his stead, but was shocked when one of the chains managed to pierce through the entirety of the tree, mere inches away from hitting him. This boy was definitely dangerous.

The chains then vanished into thin air, and two glowing-red kunai appeared in Naruto's hands. He held them in a reverse grip, and seemed prepared to leap into action; however, he was stopped before he could manage to do so. He noticed an extreme, almost unnatural heat radiating from behind his back. He turned over his shoulder to see Konohamaru, who seemed to be the source of the odd change in temperature.

Konohamaru appeared mostly normal, with the only oddity being the smokey vapor that seemed to emit from his skin. His eyes, however, were what Naruto noticed first. The pupils and whites of his eyes were gone, replaced entirely by an orange color that seemed to flicker like a flame. Naruto soon took an involuntary step back as the heat appeared to increase. The grass around them began to wither away into ash, and Naruto could feel his skin being to sting.

"I told you that I learned a new jutsu," Konohamaru declared, with smoke escaping from his mouth. "It was my mistake that caused this, so let me handle it. I can take him."

Naruto was conflicted, "Kid–"

Stubborn as always, Konohamaru grinned, "If I kick this guy's ass, you'll have no choice but to take me on as your student. Right, boss?"

Before Naruto could voice any approval or opposition, Konohamaru burst into action, leaping toward Mizuki's perched position. His very movement seemed to scorch anything unfortunate enough to come close enough to his body. Both Mizuki and Naruto were equally shocked by the display of physical prowess. What was this jutsu? It was clearly forbidden for a reason, as the collateral damage had the potential to be devastating.

Mizuki was forced to abandon his hiding spot in favor of creating more distance. Konohamaru continued to pursue relentlessly, appearing slightly demonic with his fiery eyes and almost glowing skin. Realizing that a hand-to-hand clash would be suicide, Mizuki unleashed a Fūma Shuriken at his new opponent. Konohamaru dodged the projectile and lunged forward with even higher speed. He opened his mouth and roared, releasing a torrent of flames from the pit of his stomach.

To avoid being burned by the fire, Mizuki dove down and landed at the center of yet another clearing. Konohamaru was quick to catch up, and the two finally stood face to face. It was the first time since Mizuki's betrayal that Konohamaru was really given a good opportunity to look him in the eye. He saw malice, jealously, anger, and most prevalent now, fear. He was strong now – strong enough to make someone like Mizuki afraid. And yet, he felt no pleasure or pride. Only sadness and regret.

The woods surrounding them had caught fire in the wake of Konohamaru's previous assault. Mizuki frantically observed his surroundings as he tried to identify some means of getting away. At this point, he didn't even want the scroll anymore. He'd be happy enough if he could just escape with his life. Finally, realizing that there was no escaping, he lost hope.

"Listen, Konohamaru. I'm sorry that I lied to you, but you need to believe me when I tell you that everything I've ever said to you is true," Mizuki said. "All those days together at the Academy. Remember? I always was able to see things in you that other people couldn't. I was able to realize your potential."

Konohamaru scowled, "All you ever did was convince me that I didn't need to change – that I was too special to listen to anyone else," he countered. "You wanted me to think that there were shortcuts to becoming a shinobi, all so you could trick me."

A wave of pain suddenly coursed through Konohamaru's body, causing him to nearly visibly flinch. The jutsu was painful, which was something he learned the hard way when learning it. He had to continually regulate the heat flowing throughout his body, and if at any moment he lost control, he would be burned alive from the inside. Still a novice, there were brief moments where he would lose control, and the pain was unbelievable.

Mizuki raised his hands in an attempt to placate the enraged Sarutobi, "You're right, Konohamaru. You're RIGHT. There aren't any shortcuts. I see that now. I wanted to use the scroll to become powerful, but you've shown me the error of my ways. From now on, I'll work hard – like you!"

His response was obviously made in an attempt to get out of his current predicament, but even still, Konohamaru shifted his attention to the ground in apparent doubt. Seeing this as his opportunity, Mizuki began to approach the younger boy. The closer he got, the more and more discomfort he felt due to the unnatural heat that emanated from Konohamaru's form. Still, he endured it through gritted teeth. He needed Konohamaru to trust him again.

However, before he could get close enough, Konohamaru's head shot back up, with a look of determination gracing his features.

"Naruto taught me something that you never could, Mizuki-sensei. If not for him, I would have never discovered what it really means to be a shinobi," Konohamaru declared, much to Mizuki's chagrin. "Even if he really is the Nine Tailed Fox, he's still a better person then you'll ever be!"

Mizuki seemed to be momentarily stunned by Konohamaru's words. For the longest time, he had Konohamaru wrapped around his finger. Everything was going well, and then that bastard Nine Tails came into the picture and screwed everything up. He supposed the generational disconnect was to blame. Someone Konohamaru's age couldn't possibly fathom the destruction caused by the Nine Tails.

"You're making a mistake, Konohamaru. Can't you see?" Mizuki warned. "You're throwing your lot in with the Devil."

Konohamaru shook his head and grinned, "You're the one who's wrong, Mizuki-sensei. You–"

Before Konohamaru could finish, he was forced to involuntarily grip his chest in pain. He collapsed onto his knees and began to hyperventilate. With each breath, he appeared to radiate more and more heat, and Mizuki was forced to take several steps back to avoid being burnt by mere proximity. After creating a safe amount of distance, Mizuki couldn't help but smirk at the sight. The kid had been so cocky not even a minute ago.

"I guess it doesn't really matter who's right. Eh, Konohamaru?" Mizuki mocked, thought was likely that his words fell on deaf ears.

Konohamaru's back then arched in an agonizing display. He let out a silent scream, and his body began to glow so intently that Mizuki could actually see the veins underneath his skin. The flame in his eyes grew more and more intense – flickering and poised to burn his flesh. Finally, when Mizuki began to see a deep fiery color beginning to emit from Konohamaru's mouth, he realized what was about to happen and prepared to jump away.

However, before Konohamaru, and likely Mizuki as well, were incinerated in the explosion, a glowing-red chain emerged from the treeline. The chain coiled around Konohamaru's body, and almost immediately, both the heat and the sensation of impending dread vanished. Konohamaru's body reverted back to normal, though his skin was now singed and deeply red, as if he had a bad sunburn. Once the crisis appeared to have been averted, the chain retracted back to where it had come from, and Konohamaru collapsed onto the ground, now unconscious.

Shortly after, out of the shadows and the flickering flame of the forest, Naruto appeared. Mizuki watched him advance with caution. The forest was still burning, and unless he was willing to run through fire, it would be difficult to escape while being pursued. To make matters worse, the rising smoke would no doubt attract the attention of those who had been searching for the missing scroll, so he'd need to act quickly.

He'd have to kill the Nine Tails brat here and now.

Naruto showed little interest in Mizuki and instead chose to ignore the chunin in favor of checking Konohamaru's pulse. Seizing the opportunity, Mizuki removed the last of his remaining Fūma Shuriken from his back and aimed for Naruto's blindspot. Once that was successful, he'd kill Konohamaru as well and then cut his losses and escape. Sure, he'd failed in his endeavor, but now he'd live to fight another day.

Mizuki threw his weapon and watched it along its path and grinned in anticipation as it inched closer and closer to its target. However, the blood then drained from his face when Naruto inexplicably reached out and plucked the spinning projectile out of the air. Mizuki observed Naruto's outstretched arm and was appalled when he saw that the boy's nails had elongated and sharpened, almost resembling claws.

Naruto then looked over his shoulder, and any remaining will to fight abandoned Mizuki as he found himself face-to-face with a pair of crimson eyes that burned with unspeakable fury. They were slitted, not unlike the eyes of a feline, and they were a sight that would be recognizable to anyone alive during the Nine Tails attack.

"The Nine Tails..."

The words came out of Mizuki's mouth as a hushed whisper that more than adequately reflected his terror. Naruto then stood to his feet, finally granting Mizuki his full attention. The boy's whisker-like marks were now thickened and more pronounced, as if they'd been roughly carved into his cheeks with a knife. His expression was that of contempt and thinly-veiled fury. It made the situation even more terrifying, as his rage appeared to be controlled and calculated.

"You think that I'm a monster," Naruto remarked, and Mizuki shuttered as the eerie sound of his voice violated his ears. "Would it bring you some comfort to be proven right in the end?"

Mizuki opened his mouth, perhaps to beg for mercy, but no words managed to escape his lips. In the blink of an eye, Naruto vanished in a burst of speed, and everything went black.

* * *

**(Hours Later)**

Naruto observed Konohamaru's unconscious form and frowned. After dispatching Mizuki, he immediately grabbed Konohamaru in his arms and rushed him to the hospital. The staff promptly snatched the boy out of his hands and brought him to the intensive care unit. It took a while before Naruto was given more information, but after what felt like hours, he was finally allowed to see him.

The brat was still alive, clearly, but there was no telling whether or not his injuries would have any lasting effects. From what he had been told so far, Konohamaru had apparently found some way to use nature transformation to convert his chakra into fire. So, essentially, he turned his body into an oven and nearly exploded from the inside. The little bastard was lucky to be alive.

"It would seem that my reckless curiosity is hereditary."

The new voice came as a surprise to Naruto, who nearly jumped out of his seat as he turned to see who it was. What he saw was the Hokage himself, looking over his grandson with an almost weary smile. Naruto stood out of the way in an attempt to give the Hokage some space to be with his grandson, but was stopped when the elderly man gestured for him to sit back down.

After returning to his seat, Naruto's brows furrowed as he pondered what the Hokage had said, "What do you mean by hereditary?"

The Hokage chuckled, as if recalling an amusing memory, "I found myself in a similar position back when I was an inquisitive youth," he confessed. "I had always thought that if someone were to steal this particular forbidden jutsu, it would be one of my enemies, but to think it would be my own grandson. It makes me regret creating it in the first place."

"You created that jutsu?" Naruto asked, his eyes widening in surprise.

The Hokage did his best to look offended, "Don't look so shocked, my boy. I AM the Hokage. I've developed many jutsu over my lifetime – forbidden or otherwise."

That was fair. One didn't earn the moniker of the Professor unless they possessed both the ability to master ninjutsu and create their own. But still, Naruto had always viewed the Hokage as a sagely figure, so imagining him using such a destructive jutsu felt almost uncharacteristic. It would be like finding out that Sayuri collected postage stamps or knitted sweaters.

Okay, now that he thought about it, that was definitely a bit of an exaggeration, but still.

"Then you'd know more than anyone how dangerous it is," Naruto remarked before shifting his attention back to Konohamaru. "Is the kid gonna be okay?"

Were his eyes still on the Hokage, he'd have seen the man smiling at him fondly, "Worried about your new disciple?" he asked in a knowing voice.

Naruto frowned at the idea. Disciple? His? The responsibility still didn't seem all that appealing. Yet, he couldn't help but admire Konohamaru's determination. The kid had nearly burnt himself alive, trying to prove that he was worthy. In a way, he felt honored. If he were weak or untalented, a kid like Konohamaru wouldn't have displayed any interest in learning from him.

"I understand the burden of mentorship very well – perhaps more so than anyone," the Hokage continued. "I've produced success stories, utter failures, and everything in between. It weighs heavy on your shoulders, let me tell you."

"How am I qualified to teach anyone?" Naruto responded with a shoulder shrug. "I've only just graduated from the Academy."

"It was you who taught him how to mold his chakra, was it not?" the Hokage inquired. "You succeeded where the Academy failed. You somehow managed to grab my grandson's attention and keep it. That takes skill, my boy."

Naruto smiled sardonically, "All I did was teach him the same way that I was taught."

"And what's so wrong with that?" the Hokage asked with a shrug. "All knowledge has to originate from somewhere. No doubt, while teaching my own students, I was influenced by my teachers. The goal of a teacher is to find a way to impart their knowledge to the next generation. How you do so isn't what's most important."

Naruto mulled over the Hokage's words and shifted his attention back to Konohamaru. He couldn't help but feel responsible. Had he accepted the kid's request and agreed to become his teacher, Mizuki probably wouldn't have been able to trick him into stealing the scroll. A young boy had reached out to him seeking guidance, and he rejected him because he couldn't be bothered.

"I'm told that Konohamaru won't wake up for at least a couple of days," the Hokage remarked while placing a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Use that time to think about what you'll say to him when he finally does."

The Hokage chose that as his moment to leave. In the grand scheme of things, his visit hadn't actually been all that long, but he was a busy man, and at this point, Konohamaru's life was no longer at risk. Still, short as it was, Naruto was grateful for him stopping by. The Hokage had a way of saying a lot while only saying a little, and today Naruto was lucky enough to be at the receiving end of some of his legendary wisdom. For the first time, he truly understood why that man was the Hokage.

Hokage. The position had always fascinated him, even during his early years. The greatest heroes in the history of the village all held the position at some point. In fact, the Third Hokage was the only one to ever retire outside of battle, while all the others died protecting the village in some way or another. And yet, once the Fourth Hokage died, the Third was required to take the hat once more. It was as if the universe was telling him that he wasn't destined for a normal death. He was the Hokage, after all.

Looking back toward Konohamaru, he felt himself overtaken by a sense of certainty. Up until this point, it had been nothing but doubts, but after hearing what the Hokage had to say, he was beginning to warm up to the idea of taking on a student. Sure, Konohamaru had already proven to be a pain in the ass, but in Naruto's experience, interesting people were seldom able to stay out of trouble.

"Alright, you stubborn little brat," Naruto remarked, as if Konohamaru could hear him. "I'll train you."

However, a true teacher wouldn't let the events of today be so easily forgotten. Yes. He'd have to find a suitable punishment. He was almost tempted to ask Kakashi, since the masked jonin seemed to have a knack for humiliating bratty children. The thought made Naruto smirk deviously.

Eavesdropping from outside the hospital room, the Hokage smiled warmly before finally leaving. Maybe today hadn't entirely gone as he'd planned (an understatement), but things still ended up fine in the end.

* * *

**~End~**

* * *


	4. A Dangerous Mission! Journey to the Land of Waves

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. All characters in this story, excluding those that are created by me, are the intellectual property of Masashi Kishimoto. Please show support by reading or watching the original source material.**

* * *

**~Confronting the Shadow: Chapter Four~**

* * *

" **A Dangerous Mission! Journey to the Land of Waves"**

When Sayuri arrived at the bridge, she was unsurprised to see Naruto already waiting there. She nearly scowled. She and Naruto had an unspoken competition for who would arrive at team meetings first. For the most part, they were both pretty consistent. One day she'd be first, and the next he'd be first. But today was the first time that one of them had been first twice in a row.

He was doing it to piss her off – and no – she definitely wasn't overthinking it or anything like that.

Sayuri observed the meeting place and nearly rolled her eyes at Kakashi's predictable absence. She was beginning to wonder how Kakashi managed to hold the rank of jonin in the first place. He was undoubtedly skilled enough as a fighter. Still, it seemed as though he was pretty unreliable when it came to just about everything else. Someone who couldn't show up on time couldn't be counted on to complete A or S-ranked missions.

"Good morning," Naruto greeted once he noticed her.

Sayuri raised a brow at the admittedly unusual display. Ever since their fight one week prior, the two hadn't quite been on speaking terms (not that they ever really were in the first place). There wasn't any notable animosity, but there was certainly an ample amount of awkwardness. During their training exercise against Team 8, they had been able to cooperate for the moments that they were together, but they were quickly separated the moment the action began. There was no telling how well they'd work together on an actual mission.

Yet, no matter how hard she tried to forget, she couldn't purge the image of his glare out of her mind. For a brief moment, it looked as though he would like nothing more than to strangle her to death with his bare hands. It was so unlike him. Naruto was always the one being annoying or pissing someone off, so seeing him actually get mad about something was like watching a fish walk out of a river and do the waltz.

Seeing no reason to ignore him, Sayuri replied – albeit tersely, "Morning."

With greetings out of the way, Sayuri found a place against the bridge's railings and leaned back. Kakashi was probably going to take a while to arrive anyway, so she may as well get comfortable. It got her thinking. Why the hell did she, Naruto, and Sakura even arrive on time in the first place? If they knew Kakashi was going to be an hour late, they should probably arrive late themselves. Though, knowing Kakashi, he'd probably choose to arrive on time the moment they tried.

Naruto, who had been sitting on top of the bridge's railing, began humming in a way that made Sayuri want to rip her hair out. God, he was so damn annoying. It wasn't an accident either. Even since they'd met, it seemed like he was acquiring data on her – figuring out what made her tick so that he could render her constantly upset or frustrated. It was cerebral, and it made her feel like she was some little kid whose buttons could be pressed easily.

"You're not going to believe this," Naruto suddenly began, causing Sayuri to preemptively sigh in preparation for whatever ridiculous thing he was about to say. "But I became a teacher recently, ya know?"

A teacher? What the hell was he talking about?

Naruto continued with a smile. "So that would make me Naruto-sensei now. Pretty cool, right?"

Sayuri gave Naruto a suspicious side-eyed glance, "You're right, I don't believe it. Who the hell would actually want to be your student anyway?"

Naruto lurched back over the railing, as if he had just been struck in the face, "I'll have you know that I have a lot of skill and knowledge to pass on. There isn't a student in the Academy who wouldn't accept training from the great Naruto-sensei."

Clearly unimpressed, Sayuri could only bring herself to roll her eyes at his stupidity. Replying to Naruto at this point would be tantamount to encouraging his foolish ramblings. For too long, she had been lowering herself to his level, allowing him to get under her skin and influence her mood. Well, no longer. From this point onward, she'd be an adult and simply ignore the mindless drivel that came out of his mouth.

"Try rolling your eyes again. Maybe you'll actually find a brain back there this time?"

Sayuri felt her jaw clench at the insult.

* * *

When Sakura finally made it to the bridge, she was amused to see Naruto and Sayuri bickering with one another. The atmosphere was charged with such an incredible tension that their glares appeared to generate electricity that arched back and forth between their eyes, causing sparks to fly. Sakura rubbed her tired eyes, and when she looked back, the sparks were gone, but Naruto and Sayuri were still very much at each other's throats.

Having long since learned that there was no point trying to get in between them whenever they got like this, Sakura simply chose her spot on the bridge and leaned back in preparation for when Kakashi would finally arrive. As she continued to watch Naruto and Sayuri argue, she couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face. Perhaps it had all been in her head, but recently she had felt a strange tension between them.

She was perceptive enough to notice that Kakashi-sensei had detected the friction as well, but as usual, he kept out of their personal affairs. Sakura wasn't sure if their sensei's hands-off approach actually made him a good teacher or a bad one. On the one hand, it was the squad leader's responsibility to ensure that their team was a cohesive unit. Still, on the other, if Kakashi-sensei was always solving all of their problems for them, then they wouldn't be able to function during missions without him.

"They're so cute, aren't they?"

Sakura felt her spine jolt, and her body become stiff as a board at the unexpected voice behind her. She slowly turned to see Kakashi, crouched on the bridge railing with a level balance and concentration that appeared odd from such a lazy person. He gave her a casual wave, as if he hadn't just scared her half to death, and she returned the gesture with a timid nod before turning back to her teammates.

Due to their quarrel, Naruto and Sayuri hadn't detected the arrival of their sensei. Though, the more likely explanation was that Kakashi-sensei was the type of person you didn't notice unless he wanted you to. She wondered if all jonin were terrifying in that way? The idea that she was standing so close to someone that was so far above her in terms of skill was rather daunting.

"Are we finally going on a mission today, sensei?" Sakura asked as they continued to observe the bickering duo.

Kakashi nodded, "Yep! I just met with Lord Hokage. Our client is waiting for us at the front gate as we speak."

"Then shouldn't we head over there now?" Sakura asked, sounding somewhat perplexed.

"Hmm, maybe in a minute," Kakashi muttered. "Don't you enjoy watching those two bond together?"

Sakura sighed. Sometimes it felt like she was the only sane person on her team.

* * *

After packing their bags in preparation for their journey, Team 7 ventured to the front gates where they would finally meet their client. Apparently, he was a master bridge builder from a country called the Land of Waves, who needed to be escorted back home safely. It was a standard C-Rank mission. At most, they'd have to contend with a couple of bandits, and even then, the sight of a shinobi escort was usually enough to ward off such thugs.

Secretly, Sayuri was hoping that some bandits would be stupid enough to test them. She was itching for a real life or death scenario that would test her mettle as a shinobi. Her spar with Naruto had been enough to get her blood pumping, but at no point did she feel as though her life was at stake. Sayuri, more than anything, wanted to put her life on the line. She wanted to know how she would react.

"Alright, we'll be there in a few minutes," Kakashi announced, as if his squad had never been to the front gate before. He then shifted his attention to Naruto and Sayuri in particular. "Be good, you two."

Naruto tried his best to look offended, "And what about Sakura?" he asked. To her credit, Sakura had the decency to blush at all of the attention suddenly coming her way.

"Sakura is the only one among you with any semblance of manners," Kakashi explained – rather bluntly. "You seem to enjoy pushing people's buttons, and Sayuri doesn't seem to enjoy people at all."

Accurate as that accusation may have been, Sayuri couldn't help but scowl. Was she seriously being lumped in with Naruto of all people? A couple minutes passed before she then felt the blonde in question nudging her on the arm in an attempt to get her attention. Despite her better judgment, she obliged.

"Worried?" he asked with a grin.

Sayuri frowned, "What's there to be worried about?" she replied – rather dismissively.

Naruto shrugged before placing his hands behind his head, "You aren't all that tough to read," he explained. "You're worried that this mission is going to be a waste of time."

Confirming or denying Naruto's suspicions was precisely what he wanted, so Sayuri decided that ignoring him was the best bet. He WAS kind of right, though. One of her biggest concerns about becoming a genin was the possibility that she'd have to waste her time on pointless missions. Escorting some guy back to his shitty little town wasn't something that got her blood pumping.

When they finally arrived at the front gate, Sayuri couldn't help but curl her lip in disgust when she got her first look at the client. He was a fairly old, gray-haired, bespectacled man – in his late 50s to early 60s – with a bushy beard and dark eyes. It wasn't his appearance that Sayuri found to be repulsive, though. It was the fact that he seemed to think that now was the appropriate time to down an entire bottle of booze. It didn't help that most of it was dribbling into his beard.

"Are you Mr. Tazuna?" Kakashi inquired once they were within speaking distance of the client.

The client seemed perplexed, as if he didn't even remember that he had hired a team of shinobi in the first place. Things eventually appeared to click in his head, and he tossed his now empty liquor bottle to the side before stumbling forward to get a better look at his escorts. He adjusted his glasses before giving every member of Team 7 a brief glance over.

"I paid for shinobi, not a bunch of brats," Tazuna complained. "Is this the best the Hidden Leaf has to offer?"

Sayuri was suddenly tempted to show the old bastard what exactly she had to offer him.

Kakashi, on the other hand, didn't seem at all affected by the blatant disrespect, "My team is more than qualified to handle a simple escort mission, Mr. Tazuna," he assured. "But if that doesn't put you at ease, I'll have you know that I'm a jonin with plenty of experience. You're in capable hands."

Tazuna didn't appear all that convinced, "I'm a famous bridge builder, you know? A lot of people would cry if something happened to me."

Sayuri tuned out the rest as they finally skipped through the remainder of greetings before finally passing through the front gates. It was the first time Naruto and Sakura had ever left the village, so it was actually quite a big moment – and yet, their responsibilities didn't present them with much of an opportunity to soak it all in. Although, Naruto did hang back for a moment to fully grasp the milestone before catching back up with the rest of the group.

It was interesting seeing Naruto being sentimental. There was definitely more to him than initially met the eye. Sayuri supposed that was normal. Nobody was the same all the time, and Naruto and Kakashi seemed to have that in common. They had a talent for presenting themselves as one thing while being something completely different altogether. It made her wonder which Naruto was the real Naruto.

"Say, Mr. Tazuna?" Sakura eventually spoke up once they were a decent bit into their journey. "Your country is the Land of Waves, right?"

Tazuna nodded, "Yeah. What of it?"

Sakura then shifted her attention to Kakashi, "Are there shinobi in that land too, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi shook his head, "No, there aren't any shinobi in the Land of Waves," he explained. "But in other nations, there are Hidden Villages like our own. They may have different customs and cultures than we do, but they have plenty of shinobi. In addition to that though, there are five nations that stand above all the rest, each with a Kage as their leader. The Five Kage are considered to be the strongest shinobi in their respective villages. In our case, that would be Lord Hokage."

The idea of doing battle with shinobi from these foreign lands became immediately appealing for Sayuri. No doubt, they possessed all manner of unique and powerful jutsu that she could test herself against. There was also the rather appealing concept of copying some of those jutsu with her Sharingan. Having only recently awakened her eyes, she was itching to put them to some use.

Sakura was, predictably, excited at the new information, "No kidding. I never knew Lord Hokage was so incredible!"

"Eh, he's alright," Naruto chimed in. "Not as awesome as the Fourth, but still pretty cool."

Kakashi rolled his single visible eye, "That's a mature way of looking at it, Naruto."

After Kakashi's little geopolitical lesson, the group continued on their journey. All in all, the scenery was fairly consistent. Despite having left the village at their backs some time ago, there were still forests as far as the eye could see. They stuck to the same dirt road all throughout, and rarely stopped for any breaks. Tazuna had been strangely quiet since their departure, and it was beginning to make Sayuri nervous.

Whenever people starting acting out of character, that was usually the time to get worried.

It was only after reaching that conclusion when she noticed that Naruto was staring intently at something on the road as they passed by. She followed his gaze and was confused when she discovered that it was a simple puddle that seemed to captivate his attention. It took a moment for the implication of a puddle being in the road during spring to settle in her mind before she recognized the danger.

Naruto, having taken notice of the puddle first, attempted to voice his concerns.

"Sensei–"

However, before he could finish what he was saying, two shadowy figures burst out of the puddle. They wore clawed-gauntlets on their left and right hands, respectively, which were linked together by a lengthy serrated chain. Sayuri watched the duo as they leaped toward Kakashi with a quickness. He was too slow to react, and before anyone could make a move, Kakashi was ensnared by the chains.

Once their target was caught, the two assailants spoke, "One down."

With a sickening noise, Team 7 watched as their sensei was shredded to pieces.

Sakura's anguished cries served as a signal for Sayuri to rush into action. Their squad leader was now dead, but that didn't mean that the mission was over. They still needed to protect the bridge builder. Speaking of which, after killing Kakashi, the murderous duo were now shifting their attention to Tazuna. Before any harm could befall the client, Sayuri threw a kunai that pinned the chain to a nearby tree.

In a flash of speed, Sayuri then jumped into the air and landed on both of the gauntlets. Before the would-be assassins could react, she grabbed the gauntlets in her hands and kicked them each in the face. The force of her attack was enough to knock the duo back and even detach the chain from their gauntlets. It was a bittersweet development, as while their opponents were deprived of one of their weapons, they were also free to move independently of the other.

Despite the small victory, there was no respite in the action. Now that they were separated, the assassins split up to attack different targets. One stayed put and began to engage Sayuri in hand-to-hand combat while the other charged toward Tazuna with murderous intent.

When Sakura realized that she was the only thing standing between the enemy and the client, she felt a surge of fear. She supposed it was justifiable, given the circumstances, but she cursed her timidity all the same. Once her body came to terms with the fact that it was now or never, she steeled her nerves. She drew a kunai from her weapon pouch before lowering into a defensive position.

"Stay behind me, sir!" she warned, sounding as rattled as Tazuna looked.

Then, just as the enemy was within arms reach, an orange blur sailed into Sakura's line of vision. Naruto kneed the assassin in the face, launching him into the woods and effectively saving Sakura and Tazuna both. Before Sakura could even think to voice her appreciation, Naruto lunged in the very same direction he had sent the enemy flying. It wasn't long before Naruto vanished into the woods as well.

Meanwhile, Sayuri was still fighting with the other assassin – and having the time of her life no less. At that moment, she couldn't even remember that Kakashi had just been killed before her very eyes. Her instincts had taken over as she delved into the deepest pit of her baser impulses. This was the kind of battle she had been searching for! These were the stakes that she wanted!

Her fun was suddenly interrupted when Kakashi appeared out of nowhere, instantly snatching the enemy into his arm. The grip must have been incredibly tight, as the enemy quickly gasped for breath before losing consciousness. Sayuri wasn't sure whether she should be relieved that Kakashi was alive, or disappointed that the fighting was over. So, in the end, she settled for an odd mixture of both.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura shouted before pointing into the adjacent woods. "Naruto's in the woods fighting one of those shinobi!"

Sayuri watched as Kakashi's lone eye steeled over, "Sayuri, tie him up," he commanded rather simply before dropping the unconscious body of the enemy shinobi onto the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Kakashi then vanished in a puff of smoke, presumably en route to wherever Naruto was located. After he left, Sayuri reached into her weapon pouch and retrieved a spool of shinobi wire. It was a highly useful tool – perhaps one of her favorites. During training, she'd regularly use wires as a way to direct her shuriken midair. It was quite like flying a kite, now that she thought about it.

As she began tying up the enemy, she felt Sakura and Tazuna approaching from behind, "Are you alright, Sayuri?" Sakura inquired with apparent concern in her tone.

"I'm fine."

Tazuna, on the other hand, looked upon Sayuri with awe, "Good work, kid," he complimented while still trying to calm his nerves. "You definitely earned your pay just then."

Sakura bobbed her head in agreement, "You reacted so fast!" she said, in adoration. "You and Naruto both!"

In truth, Sayuri hadn't even noticed Naruto in all of that action. She'd been so focused on handling her business that she didn't catch a glimpse of how he reacted. Based on what Sakura said, he apparently started fighting the other assassin, and the two ended up somewhere in the woods nearby. Still, seeing as Sayuri was the first to take action, she viewed it as her victory. Naruto got second place – which wasn't bad – but it still wasn't first.

Since she wasn't a complete jerk, Sayuri decided to offer Sakura some praise as well, "Good job staying with the client. You're better than I thought."

She instantly regretted doing so when Sakura blushed in response. It was supposed to just be a simple compliment, and Sakura looked as though she'd just been commended by the Hokage himself. Feeling a bit embarrassed at the attention, Sayuri averted her gaze and continued tying up the would-be assassin.

Sayuri took the time to observe their new captive. He had wild shoulder-length brown hair and dark eyes. In terms of clothing, he wore a camouflage suit with bandages around his waist and dark-colored knee-length shinobi sandals. Most distinct, however, was the rebreather that covered the lower half of his face and the large clawed-gauntlet that he wore on his left arm.

'What village does this symbol represent,' Sayuri thought to herself as she observed his headband. She decided to turn to Sakura once more. "Sakura, what village uses this symbol on their headbands?"

Sakura leaned over Sayuri's shoulder and squinted, "Umm. I think that must be the Hidden Mist Village, right?"

"That's right, Sakura."

The two girls were surprised to hear Kakashi's voice from behind them. When they turned to face him, Sakura flashed a bright smile when she saw that Naruto was standing at his side – looking completely unharmed. Sayuri's attention, however, was more fixated on the body that Kakashi was carrying on his shoulder. It was the other assassin – no doubt – and based on the deep bloody gash along his neck and his pale complexion, Sayuri deduced that he was dead.

Had Kakashi killed him?

"These two are – well, were – chunin from the Hidden Mist," Kakashi explained, correcting himself halfway as he seemed to recall the corpse draped over his shoulder.

The Hidden Mist Village, eh? It didn't take a genius to figure out that the Hidden Mist Village was associated with the Land of Water. What brought them all the way to the Land of Fire? And, perhaps even more importantly, why were they targeting a random bridge builder? Sayuri eyed their client with thinly veiled suspicion. Clearly, there was more to this man than met the eye.

Kakashi appeared to be following the same line of thought, "I pretended to be killed so that I could learn who those shinobi were targeting," he revealed before leveling a stern gaze Tazuna's way. "It seemed like they were after you, Mr. Tazuna."

Tazuna looked down at the ground in apparent shame.

"We haven't heard anything about you being targeted by shinobi," Kakashi said. "This mission was supposed to just be protection from bandits, thieves, and the like. But to be faced with chunin-level shinobi? That's beyond the scope of our mission agreement. You had better have a good excuse for lying in your mission request, Mr. Tazuna."

Sakura nodded in agreement, "We aren't ready for this kind of mission, sir," she said, taking on a sympathetic tone. "We should turn back."

While she was definitely in agreement that the client should be held responsible for lying, Sayuri wasn't at all on board with Sakura's desire to abandon the mission. Just now, she had been gifted with a fantastic opportunity. With the possibility of engaging in such a battle once more, she wasn't about to head back home.

"I think we should keep going, sensei," Naruto chimed in, earning a look of shock from Tazuna. "I mean, it's not like anyone was hurt or anything."

"Kid..." the bridge builder muttered.

Kakashi sighed, "Naruto, there's a reason missions have specific ranks," he explained. "It's so shinobi are given missions that fall in line with their qualifications. You three have only been genin for a week. You shouldn't be let anywhere near a B-Rank mission like this."

Sayuri frowned. Kakashi was making it sound as if they hadn't handled the ambush incredibly well. It was as Naruto said, nobody was injured, and the assailants weren't even able to touch the client. If those two Hidden Mist shinobi were chunin, then Sayuri was confident that she could handle opponents at that level. And, if his impressive display was anything to go by, Kakashi would make quick work of them as well.

"I agree with Naruto," Sayuri said, earning a look of surprise from Tazuna and one of dismay from Sakura. "We can handle anything that's thrown our way."

Sayuri glanced back in Naruto's direction and saw him giver her a thumbs up. She rolled her eyes, unsure if he was messing with her or if he was genuinely grateful for her taking his side. Either way, it wasn't like she seconded his opinion because she wanted to have his back. No, she had her own reasons for wanting to continue with the mission, and none of them included Naruto at all.

"Jeez, looks they're pretty set on this, Sakura," he remarked to his only sensible student. "Very well, we'll continue – for now, at least."

Tazuna was obviously pleased by the development, seeing as he ensured that he'd live for at least another day. He informed his escorts that they'd be nearing the coast soon, and that he'd arranged transportation to the Land of Waves. With that, they continued on their journey.

* * *

Having officially left the mainland behind then, Team 7 was now traversing open water on a motorboat owned by a man named Kaji. He had been waiting for them at the coast, so Sayuri could only assume he was an acquaintance of Tazuna. He was an incredibly cautious man, having long since turned off the motor in favor of using an oar.

"This is quite some fog. I can't even see ahead," Sakura remarked. Sayuri couldn't help but agree and was almost tempted to activate her Sharingan. In the end, she decided that it would be a waste of chakra.

Naruto was lounging at the front of the boat, with one of his legs nearly dangling off of the edge. He'd been oddly subdued since their encounter with those Hidden Mist chunin, and it was making Sayuri wonder even more what happened in the forest. Did seeing Kakashi kill someone leave him rattled? It may have been the first time he saw someone die. It was enough to mess with anyone's head – she knew from personal experience.

"The bridge should be visible soon," Kaji announced in a subdued voice. "When we reach the other side of the bridge, we'll be in the Land of Waves."

It appeared that Naruto was the first to catch a look at the much talked about bridge, signaled by he's head perking up a bit. Seeing as he was all the way at the front, the rest of Team 7 had to wait a few moments before it came into full view. When it did, they couldn't help but marvel at the sheer size and degree of ingenuity.

"Wow! It's huge!" Sakura exclaimed with a smile. It was clear that she was enjoying all the new things they were seeing and learning now that they had left the village.

While Sayuri had left the village several times, she had to admit she hadn't seen a bridge so large in her entire life. It appeared that Tazuna wasn't simply boasting when he referred to himself as a master bridge builder, after all. No novice could head the construction of such a colossal structure without being an absolute master of their craft. It served as a reminder to her that not everyone out there was a shinobi like her. Some people had their own careers and purposes that were arguably equally as important.

Kaji seemed less than pleased by the display, "H-Hey! Please keep it down," he warned while doing his best to stay as quiet as possible. "I took this boat out under cover of fog and turned off the motor for a reason, you know? If they find us, we'll be in deep trouble."

What the hell was this guy so afraid of anyway? Tazuna had been pretty tight-lipped regarding the whole situation, and Sayuri was wondering when Kakashi was going to decide to make him fess up. If it were up to her, he would have been interrogated the moment they were attacked by those two chunin.

As he could read her mind, Kakashi decided to begin his line of questioning now, "Mr. Tazuna. I want to ask you something before we arrive at the pier," he said. "I need to know the identities of your assailants, and the reason why they're after you. If you don't tell us, our mission may end once you make landfall."

Tazuna remained quiet for some time. It wasn't clear whether or not he intended to answer any of Kakashi's questions, but it was very apparent that he was experiencing some internal struggle. At this point, everyone on Team 7 was staring at him expectantly, to imply that any lack of explanation would be unacceptable.

"I guess I have no choice but to tell you," Tazuna relented, looking incredibly weary. "Frankly, you may be right when you say that this may be beyond the scope of your mission. I'm actually being targeted by a very terrifying man.

Kakashi couldn't help the frown that became visible underneath his mask, "A terrifying man?" he inquired. When he received a nod of confirmation from Tazuna, he continued. "Who?"

"You guys have probably heard of him before," Tazuna speculated. "A shipping magnate by the name of Gatō."

Only Kakashi seemed to recognize the name, "Gatō? As in the head of the Gatō Company? One of the world's richest men?" he asked – his lone eye widening in surprise.

So they were dealing with some big shot rich guy? It would make sense then, that he'd have the resources to hire shinobi from a foreign land.

Tazuna inclined his head, "Yes. On the surface, he's the chief executive of a shipping company. But underneath, he's into drug-trafficking and deals in contraband using gangs and shinobi. In reality, he runs a despicable business, using his power and influence to take over entire nations and enterprises."

Fully engrossed in the tale, none on the boat made any move to interrupt.

"It was only a year ago when he set his sights on the Land of Waves," Tazuna continued. "Through money and violence, he took control of our country, and before anyone knew it, he seized control of the island's maritime transportation and shipping. Having a tight grip on the ocean, in an island nation like ours, means having control of trade, finance, government, the people...everything."

It was then that Tazuna raised his head once more, "But one thing that Gatō fears is the completion of the bridge – which we've been constructing for some time now. Once we succeed, his monopoly over our nation will finally come to an end, and we'll be able to break free from his control."

"I see. Since you're the one building the bridge, you've become a hindrance," Sakura deduced.

Sayuri chimed in as well, "Then those shinobi from before were definitely Gatō's men," she declared, voicing what she had already figured out earlier.

The Land of Water was the nation closest to both the Land of Fire and the Land of Waves. It made sense that Gatō seemed to have a habit of hiring shinobi from that particular nation. Though, it wasn't like he'd be able to employ Hidden Leaf shinobi even if he wanted to. Sayuri was confident that the Hokage wouldn't allow his subordinates to accept missions from a tyrant like Gatō.

"If that's the case, then I don't understand why you didn't just pay for a B-Rank mission in the first place," Kakashi said.

"The Land of Waves is a very poor country. Even the Feudal Lords have no money," Tazuna explained. "We can't afford to make mission requests of B-Rank or higher."

At this point, everyone had a pretty comfortable grasp of the situation. Tazuna had been marked for death by one of the wealthiest men on the planet and lied to the Hidden Leaf in order to get some semblance of assistance. He probably thought that having under qualified shinobi on his side was better than having nobody at all. In the end, he was lucky that someone of Kakashi's caliber happened to be in charge of a genin team.

"Well, if you pull out of the mission when I land ashore, I will, no doubt, be killed. Probably before I even make it home," Tazuna said, before his tone became lackadaisical. "But there's no need for you to worry! Should I die, it would only hurt my cute little grandchild and his widowed mother – who both would curse the Hidden Leaf for the rest of their days."

Sakura, Sayuri, and Naruto looked at Tazuna with deadpan faces. This guy was good – really good.

Kakashi scratched the back his head and chuckled awkwardly, "Well then, when you put it that way, it doesn't seem like we have much of a choice," he replied. "Let's continue as your bodyguards."

"Oh! I'm most grateful!"

* * *

Upon their arrival in the Land of Waves, Team 7 was initially dropped off at a pier in a standard-looking fishing village. It was situated adjacent to the water and was interconnected by various docks and walkways. It was rather large, actually, and was incredibly beautiful. Yet, they didn't stay for long, as apparently Tazuna's home was located further inland, and it wasn't long before they were navigating through woodland paths once more.

The terrain was very similar to the Land of Fire – which was to be expected since the two nations were so close to one another. However, a distinct difference was that the Land of Waves felt wetter – for lack of a better word. The air seemed to be saturated with water, and the ground was almost moist under feet. Sayuri felt the environment was actually rather soothing on her skin, and closed her eyes for a brief moment in relaxation.

Suddenly, the sound of something splitting through the air alerted the members of Team 7. Kakashi quickly shouted a warning before tackling Tazuna to the ground, and just in the nick of time, as a massive cleaver-like sword spun directly where the aging bridge builder had been standing. Sayuri's eyes tracked the blade as it continued on its course before it eventually embedded itself in a tree.

'I didn't even hear it coming until the last possible moment,' she internally chastised, realizing that he momentary lack of focus could have gotten herself killed.

In a flicker of movement, a man suddenly appeared, standing on the hilt of the blade. He struck an imposing figure, with short, spiky black hair, grayish skin, and dark brown eyes. He wore bandages that covered the bottom of his face, similar to Kakashi. He was shirtless with a pair of striped pants with white leopard printed leg and hand warmers. Sayuri's eyes quickly gravitated to his headband, which he sported sideways, and recognized the symbol of the Mist.

She then looked to who sensei, who hardly seemed intimidated, "Well, well. If it isn't Zabuza Momochi," he remarked, revealing the name of their enemy. "If I'm not mistaken, you're a rogue shinobi from the Hidden Mist Village."

Zabuza appeared to smirk underneath his mask, "No wonder the Demon Brothers failed," he observed. "You're the Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake."

Kakashi then gave his students a signal, and the trio of genin quickly sprung into action, forming a manji formation around Tazuna, allowing for them to guard their client against all directions. Zabuza hardly appeared impressed as there was no noticeable shift in his demeanor at all. In fact, his gaze remained fixed on Kakashi. It was obvious that he only viewed Kakashi as the actual threat.

"I would have never expected the likes of you to be protecting some lowly bridge builder, but now it all makes sense," Zabuza commented. "Hard to imagine someone like you getting saddled with a trio of brats."

"And even harder to imagine a notorious A-ranked shinobi like yourself working for trash like Gatō," Kakashi countered, his hands remaining stuffed in his pockets. "It makes me wonder. How much does selling out and sacrificing your pride earn someone these days?"

Instead of getting angry at the verbal quip, Zabuza merely chuckled, "Don't act so high and mighty, Kakashi," he said. "I couldn't care less who my client is, so long as I get paid."

Sayuri's mind was racing. He was a shinobi hailing from the Land of Water, which meant that he was likely proficient with water style ninjutsu. Her eyes then shifted to the lake that ran adjacent to the clearing in which they were currently standing. It seemed that he had chosen a battlefield that would give him a decisive advantage. It went without saying that most of her fire style ninjutsu would likely prove to be useless against such an opponent.

But, on a positive note, that would mean that Naruto would likely have an edge as well. Her teammate was watching their enemy just as intently as she was, and she could only assume that he, too, was assessing the situation. From what she had been able to gather during their week as teammates, Naruto was very adept at water style ninjutsu, so at least that was something in their favor.

"To think today, I'll finally be able to see the famous Sharingan in action," Zabuza announced, causing Sayuri to tense as she assumed that he had somehow figured out who she was. "I hope you're not arrogant enough to think that you can defeat me without using it...Kakashi."

Sayuri's eyes widened in surprise, and she turned to face her sensei, who still remained unfazed.

"You never know. But you're right, I shouldn't take any chances," Kakashi casually replied before raising his headband, revealing that his left eye had a vertical scar running down it. But it was when he finally opened the eye that Sayuri froze.

There was no mistaking it. Kakashi's left eye was a Sharingan. It was fully evolved too – with three tomoe – which was more than even she possessed at the moment. Upon seeing the eye, her mind was bombarded by so many thoughts that she couldn't even begin to choose which to address first. In the end, she settled for wondering who the hell her sensei actually was and why he possessed the eye of her clan.

"Hmm, there it is. The eye that's allowed you to copy over a thousand jutsu," Zabuza revealed, much to Team 7's shock, as they were unsure if the statement was merely hyperbole. "I wonder if, among all those jutsu, you possess one powerful enough to actually kill me?"

Kakashi removed his remaining hand from his pocket before using it to massage his neck, "The odds aren't in your favor, you know?"

Zabuza's eyes widened as in the blink of an eye, Kakashi began to rapidly weave through a set of hand signs. He managed to wrench his blade out of the tree and jump out of the way just in time as a massive fireball came careening toward him. Having narrowly avoided the impact, Zabuza landed on the surface of the lake, much to Tazuna's shock.

"He's standing on water?!" he muttered in awe, as if he hadn't just witnessed someone launch a ball of flames from out of their mouth.

Sayuri, on the other hand, was more focused on her sensei. He possessed her clan's kekkei genkai and also demonstrated proficiency with one of their signature jutsu. He certainly didn't resemble an Uchiha, though. If he was indeed a member of her clan, she would have probably recognized him, or he would have undoubtedly revealed his identity to her by now. Which could only leave one possibility.

'Is his Sharingan implanted?' she pondered as she remembered the scar over his eye. Her curiosity was then replaced with suspicion, 'Did he steal it?'

She then noticed Naruto staring intently at Kakashi's back and remembered how he had reacted upon seeing her awakened Sharingan during their spar a week ago. Now certainly wasn't the time for another outburst on his part. Still, either way, she imagined that he was just as confused about the new development as she was.

Her moment of rumination was interrupted when she heard Zabuza laugh – no, more like a cackle. It was then that she began to notice the air become thick with an almost unnatural mist. She began to have trouble seeing her comrades or the client, despite most of them being within arms reach. Even activating her Sharingan didn't help. The mist was saturated with chakra, making it impossible for her to make out any of the signatures surrounding her.

"Be careful and don't move a muscle," Kakashi warned, his tone having now taken on a more serious edge. "Zabuza is a master of the Silent Killing Jutsu. He's trained his entire life to fight under these conditions and can move completely silently through the mist."

Each of the genin of Team 7 found their eyes widening with shock, and Tazuna was too horrified to even fathom what was going on. Sayuri could feel him trembling behind her back and could smell the alcohol from his bated breath. Naruto was opposite her, so she couldn't quite gauge his reaction, but Sakura wasn't fairing all that better than Tazuna as Sayuri could hear the kunai rattling her in comrade's hands.

"Larynx. Spine. Lungs. Liver. Jugular. Subclavian arteries. Kidneys. Heart," Zabuza spoke, though his voice echoed through the mist in a way that made it impossible to pinpoint his location. "So many vital spots. I wonder what I'll choose?"

Sayuri felt her body seize in panic as the sound of Zabuza's voice slithered into her ears. This feeling. The intensity of his malice was making her sick. She felt that if she took a breath or even so much as blinked her eyes that she would be instantly marked for death. So this was what it felt like to be faced with a jonin with the intent to kill? She couldn't stand the feeling. If she had to endure it for much longer, she'd go mad!

Her knuckles popped under the strain of how tightly she was gripping her kunai, which was now visibly shaking due to the intensity of her grip. As she looked down at her weapon, she contemplated escaping from this hell on her own terms. Yet, the thought immediately vacated her mind when she heard her sensei speak.

"Sayuri," Kakashi said – calmly – as he if could read her thoughts. "Don't worry. I'll protect you with my life — all of you."

Kakashi then formed the ram hand seal and summoned his chakra until it became visible around him. The force of this act was enough to dissipate the mist slightly, at least to the degree where Team 7 could see one another. Kakashi, now in view of his team, looked over his shoulder to face them. When he did, Sayuri immediately felt her fear and anxiety vanish.

"I won't allow any of my comrades to die," he assured, his eyes crinkling up in a smile.

But the fear returned tenfold when she felt a voice directly behind her.

"Easier said than done."

Zabuza was crouched in the middle of the manji formation, having moved so quietly and with such speed that nobody had even seen him until it was nearly too late. Thankfully, Kakashi sprung into action and blitzed the rogue shinobi with a kunai in hand. Before Zabuza could attempt to cleave Tazuna in two, he found the kunai plunged into his stomach.

Naruto grabbed Tazuna and leaped back, creating distance between their client and the ensuing battle. Inwardly admiring her teammate's quick thinking, Sayuri was forced to move in a completely different direction altogether. Once she landed, she observed the wound that Kakashi had managed to inflict on Zabuza and was surprised to see that it was leaking water and not blood.

Zabuza then burst into a pool of water, revealing himself to have been a water clone all along. He was clever. Rather than trying to assassinate Tazuna from the beginning, he was trying to separate them all to make his target as vulnerable as possible. Despite herself, she couldn't help but admire his ruthless calculation.

"Sensei!" Naruto suddenly shouted in warning. "Behind you!"

Kakashi didn't appear to have enough time to react as Zabuza, likely the original, appeared behind him with his cleaver cocked back. With a single swing, he managed to cleave Kakashi in two. Sayuri was shocked for an instant before she saw her sensei disperse into water in the same way that Zabuza had earlier. This was the second time today he'd averted death.

Meanwhile, Zabuza appeared to be shocked at seeing his opponent demonstrate such skill in the jutsu of his village. Kakashi then appeared behind him in a manner reminiscent of the tactic that Zabuza had just employed earlier. Yet, Kakashi was apparently more reasonable, merely placing a kunai against his opponent's neck.

"Stand down," he warned, his voice missing any of the laidback undertones with which it was usually associated. "It's over."

Despite his momentary surprise, Zabuza appeared more amused than anything else, "Over? Do you honestly believe that?" Zabuza asked before laughing. "In what world would a crass imitation ever be able to match up against the real thing? I won't be beaten by the likes of you!"

Sayuri felt her brow furrow in worry. Despite it seeming as though the battle was all but finished, Zabuza didn't seem concerned at all. It could possibly just be bravado, but her gut was telling her otherwise. Something was definitely wrong, and the battle was far from over.

"But I must must admit, it was impressive that you were able to copy my water clone in the mist," Zabuza continued. "Then you drew away my attention why you waited for the opportunity to strike. Yet, you're not the only one who can use that strategy!"

Just as he finished, Zabuza dissipated into a puddle of water, revealing himself to also be a water clone. The real Zabuza then appeared at Kakashi's back with his blade cocked back, ready to cleave him in two. Thankfully, Kakashi crouched down just in the nick of time. Due to the force of his swing, Zabuza's blade was embedded in the ground, and then he let go of the hilt before kicking Kakashi into the river.

Zabuza then wrenched his blade out of the ground before vanishing in a burst of speed. Kakashi was quick to rise out of the water, but he appeared incredibly weighed down and sluggish. As he tried to move, he took note of the fact that the water felt unnaturally dense and heavy. However, before he could react in time, Zabuza appeared behind him on the surface of the water.

"Too later," he taunted while weaving through hand seals. "Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!"

The water surrounding Kakashi rose out of the lake and encased him in a sphere. Zabuza was holding the sphere of water in place with his right hand, all the while laughing at Kakashi's misfortune.

"So much for the great Kakashi of the Sharingan. I'll finish you off once I've eliminated your little friends," Zabuza mocked before executing a single hand seal. "Water Clone Jutsu."

A humanoid shape then rose out of the water before shifting into a perfect clone of Zabuza. Despite not being just a clone, Sayuri felt just as uneasy about the sheer power and malice that this clone emanated. With their current strength, they wouldn't even be able to scratch a mere clone of this guy, let alone take on the real deal. This was bad – really bad.

"You think that wearing a headband makes you a shinobi?" Zabuza jeered. "A real shinobi is someone who has survived numerous brushes with death – to the point where it doesn't even faze them anymore. Only when you're skilled enough for your names to be entered into my bingo book can you start calling yourselves shinobi."

Zabuza then vanished in a flash of speed. Naruto didn't even have time to blink before he was targeted, resulting in him being kicked square in the face. The force of the strike was enough to send him skidding across the clearing. The sight caused Sakura to cry out in worry and Sayuri to tense at the possibility of being next. The lingering terror that she had been experiencing at the beginning of the battle had subsided slightly, but she was still hardly feeling confident.

"Take Mr. Tazuna and run!" Kakashi shouted from inside of the water prison. "The fight ended the moment I was caught, but as long as he's keeping me trapped in this prison, he can't move! The water clone can't go very far from his real body. So run away, now!"

The water clone of Zabuza didn't appear all that concerned with what Kakashi was saying. In fact, his attention was still focused solely on Naruto. Having yet to completely recover her bearings after the initial attack, Naruto was unable to react to Zabuza jumping into the air and landing a downward knee directly into his back. Naruto immediately coughed up blood, and Sayuri gritted her teeth in frustration.

'I can't just stand here and watch,' she thought before charging into action.

Sayuri ignored the panicked shouting of both Sakura and Kakashi and threw several shuriken at Zabuza. It proved to be a rather easy attack to defend against, as Zabuza simply swatted them out of the air with the flat edge of his massive blade. Sayuri then proceeded to leap into the air and attempt a downward thrust with a kunai. As a counter, Zabuza merely reached up and caught her by the neck.

"Another person with the Sharingan, eh?" Zabuza remarked.

The sheer force of Zabuza's gripe around her throat was astonishingly tight, and Sayuri was confident that she would lose consciousness quickly if she didn't do something. Her eyes then gravitated to the ground, and she saw Naruto, with Zabuza's foot planted onto his back. They made eye contact, and an unspoken plan seemed to exchange between them.

Sayuri dropped the kunai she had been holding in her hand, being sure to make it look as though she had lost her grip due to the lack of air. Naruto caught the kunai before it could hit the ground and viciously slashed Zabuza's water clone across the tendon. Predictably, water trickled out instead of blood, and Zabuza's clone quickly dispersed into a puddle of water.

Even though it had only been a clone, they couldn't help but view it as a victory. Sayuri landed deftly at the ground, and when she took a few breaths and regained her bearings, she saw Naruto standing at her side. He was smirking, while also holding out the kunai that she had given to him during the exchange.

"You dropped this," Naruto joked. "It's almost like you did it on purpose too."

Sayuri only barely suppressed a smirk of her own and shook her head, "Focus, you moron."

It was strange for Sayuri to feel so comfortable fighting at someone's side. Sure, she had worked together with Naruto and Sakura during the bell test, but this was totally different. Earlier in the battle, she had felt terrified, but now, there was a distinct feeling of confidence lingering in her chest. Alone, they didn't stand a chance, but together, they might be able to free their sensei and survive.

Naruto eyes then took on an all to familiar devious glint, "Anyway, follow my lead. I'll need a distraction, though."

Even though he had just witnessed his clone getting destroyed, Zabuza appeared more amused than anything else. The little brats had gotten lucky. And yet, for all their efforts, they weren't any closer to coming out on top in this little battle. In an attempt to break their morale, Zabuza formed the hand seal for the Water Clone jutsu once more, and another copy rose out of the river.

Back at the other side of the clearing, Naruto and Sayuri prepared themselves for an attack just in time as Zabuza's new water clone charged toward them. In response, Sayuri weaved through several hand seals before ending with the tiger seal. She then expelled chakra-infused ash from her mouth that blanketed almost the entire area.

Zabuza's water clone was caught in the thick of the jutsu, and had to cover his face to protect himself from the ash. The jutsu wasn't powerful enough to cause him to dispel, but it did burn his skin and prevent him from being able to open his eyes. The only silver lining was that if he wasn't able to move throughout the ash, his opponents wouldn't either.

Once the ash began to clear, Zabuza finally opened his eyes and was surprised to see dozens of clones of the blond kid lunging towards him. When the first clone entered his guard, he managed to quickly dispatch it with his sword. To his mild surprise, the clone burst into a cloud of smoke once it dispelled.

'Shadow Clones?' he thought to himself as he proceeded to effortlessly take down even more of the copies. 'And so many of them, as well.'

Regardless, even the most powerful jutsu would be ineffective in the hands of a novice. The remaining clones who hadn't already been defeated decided to attack all at once. Each brandishing a kunai, they tried to jumped into the air and simultaneously attempted to turn Zabuza into a human pincushion. Unfortunately, Zabuza easily managed to dispel nearly all of the clones with a single swing of his sword.

Only the original Naruto remained, and as he was skidding back from the impact of Zabuza's attack, he reached into his backpack and pulled out a collapsible Fūma Shuriken. He then threw it to Sayuri, who deftly caught it before releasing the weapon.

"Demon Wind Shuriken," Sayuri stated – her Sharingan ablaze with fury. "Windmill of Shadows."

Zabuza couldn't help but scoff at what he perceived as a pitiful display, "A shuriken? That's your plan?" he taunted. "Do you really think that's going to do anything to me?"

Unperturbed by his dismissal, Sayuri vanished in a flash of speed before reappearing in the air above. She spun her body in an effort to create momentum before hurling the shuriken at the perfect moment. Her Sharingan tracked the movement of the weapon, and she watched as it advanced toward Zabuza with impressive speed. Then, to the shock of the man in question, the weapon passed the clone entirely.

The real Zabuza merely squinted as he watched the Fūma Shuriken approach. It seemed those two brats realized the futility in attacking his clone and decided to aim for his actual body instead. Admittedly, it was an acceptable tactic. Still, the execution could have been better. Did they genuinely expect to finish his off with a mere shuriken?

"Hmph, nice try," Zabuza remarked before effortlessly catching the shuriken in his left hand. However, his moment of triumph was quickly interrupted as he saw a second, identical shuriken heading his way in the same path as the first.

'A shuriken hidden in the shadow of the first,' Zabuza observed. He recognized this particular jutsu. It was the Shadow Shuriken jutsu, a jutsu made famous by Hidden Leaf shinobi during the previous three wars.

Meanwhile, Sakura observed the shocking development and couldn't help but be flooded with hope. Naruto and Sayuri, on the other hand, were far more composed as they observed their plan in action. The second shuriken was on target, and there was no way that Zabuza would be able to catch it.

Seeing as he had no other means of avoiding the attack, Zabuza opted to simply jump over it. Sakura openly gasped at the display, as she had never considered the possibility that their enemy would be able to avoid the attack in such a dexterous manner. All their effort seemed to be for naught – and yet, despite it all, a small smirk spread over both Naruto and Sayuri's faces.

Suddenly, the shuriken Zabuza had just avoided burst into smoke, revealing it to actually be Naruto using the Transformation jutsu. Perhaps even more shockingly, he held in his hand a large shuriken that seemed to be made from glowing red-chakra. Everyone was shocked, both by Naruto and Sayuri's clever strategy, and the strange weapon Naruto was wielding.

At close proximity, Naruto lurched back and threw the chakra-shuriken directly at Zabuza's exposed back. At this distance, Zabuza wouldn't be able to dodge, and he wasn't given much time to weigh his options. In the end, he did the only thing that he could do and pulled his hand out of the water prison. Still, the chakra-shuriken just barely managed to graze him on the cheek, drawing blood.

The water prison that had been surrounding Kakashi collapsed back into the water, and Zabuza felt a deep rage building in the pit of his stomach. This little brat managed to draw blood from him just now, and more importantly, concocted a plan that turned the tide of the battle back in his team's favor. On instinct, Zabuza began spinning the Fūma Shuriken that he was holding in his hand and set his aim for Naruto.

Naruto, who was currently descending into the river, could only watch with wide eyes as he realized that he had just become a target. Zabuza pulled back his arm, telegraphing his throw, and Naruto tucked his arms into his body in a preemptive effort to protect his vital spots.

"You're dead, brat!" Zabuza shouted, fully intent on destroying Naruto there and then.

Sayuri felt her blood run cold at the possibility that Naruto was going to be killed. Sure, he was an annoying prick, but she'd be lying if she said that over the past few weeks, she hadn't started getting used to him. Their competitions for who would arrive first, his stupid attempts at getting on her nerves, and their mutual desire to improve and grow stronger were all things she had grown accustomed to.

However, before Zabuza could land a fatal blow, Kakashi appeared in a flash and blocked the shuriken with his closed fist. The metal plate on the backhand of his glove allowed him to absorb the attack with minimal damage, but his hand was still rendered bloody.

Naruto fell into the water with a splash, but in this case, getting wet was the least of his worries. He was smart enough to realize that had Kakashi not intervened, he would have definitely been killed just then. The very thought caused his stomach to churn. He would have been DEAD. There would be no coming back from that, and he would have left this world having achieved none of his goals. The very thought was sickening.

Soaked, with water dripping down his face, Kakashi raised his head and looked Zabuza in the eye. Upon linking his gaze with the Copy Ninja, Zabuza couldn't help but flinch at the fierce glare he was receiving. It was exacerbated by Kakashi's Sharingan, which for a single moment, made him look like a man possessed. Even someone like Zabuza couldn't help but be taken aback at the sight.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura shouted with glee. Seeing their sensei back in action was enough to fill her – and Tazuna for that matter – with a great deal of hope. This situation was definitely winnable now.

"Naruto, Sayuri, that was quite a plan," Kakashi complimented – all the while not shifting his gaze from Zabuza, even for a moment.

Despite being a bit disgruntled by the fact that his students hadn't run away like he asked, Kakashi couldn't help but feel proud of their achievement. Naruto knew that defeating Zabuza outright was impossible. He used Sayuri's smokescreen as his opportunity to create shadow clones, which was done in an effort to conceal him turning his actual body into a Fūma Shuriken.

Sakura looked at her two teammates in awe. Some would just call it a fluke, but Naruto and Sayuri's teamwork was flawless. They were on the same page from the beginning, with barely any exchange of words. More impressively, they executed their plan perfectly. Most of the time, they acted like they hated each other, and yet, just now, they had proven themselves to be the perfect team.

"You may have managed to get the upper hand on me before, but it won't happen again," Kakashi warned Zabuza, ominously as the blood from his hand dripped into the river. "Will you stand down?"

The two elite jonin merely continued staring into each other's eyes, seemingly waiting until someone would blink or – more likely – make the next move. In the end, they both jumped back almost simultaneously in an effort to create distance. While midair, Zabuza made a single hand seal. This didn't get passed the analytical eye of Kakashi, whose Sharingan seemed to gleam at the sight.

Zabuza and Kakashi then landed back on the surface of the water, and the former of the began weaving even more hand seals. This was quickly – and perfectly – mimicked by Kakashi, who started making the same seals at an arguably even faster pace. In all, the jutsu took forty-four hand seals to complete, and both Kakashi and Zabuza finished at the exact same time.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" they both said.

Two dragons made purely from water emerged out of the river, much to the shock and awe of those spectating. The two dragons seemed to grapple with each other before eventually colliding head-to-head, creating an explosion of water that created waves so large that the river completely over-flooded. Naruto was the first to feel the brunt of the impact. Yet, not long after, the water reached even Sayuri, Sakura, and Tazuna, who each braced themselves.

'So many hand seals,' Sayuri thought to herself in awe as she struggled to stay standing against the force of the water. 'And he mirrored them perfectly – no, instantly. There's no way someone outside of the clan could do this.'

Once the water settled slightly, Zabuza and Kakashi were revealed to now be interlocked in close-range combat. Kakashi was blocking Zabuza's massive cleaver with a single kunai, and the two were pushing against each other's force in order to see who would budge.

'Something isn't right,' Zabuza thought in alarm. 'The Sharingan can comprehend and replicate an enemy's jutsu. However, both jutsu occurred simultaneously. Could he…?'

To test his budding theory, Zabuza created distance once more. He then proceeded to run to the right, which Kakashi mimicked by mirroring him and running to the left. Zabuza then formed the hand seal for the Hidden Mist jutsu, and was shocked to see Kakashi copy him perfectly once more.

Being curious as she was, and realizing that Sayuri was likely the person on their team most knowledgeable regarding the Sharingan, Sakura looked to he teammate for an answer, "How's he doing that, Sayuri?"

However, seemingly just as ignorant to whatever was going on as everyone else was, Sayuri failed to come up with an answer. Frankly, she wasn't as knowledgeable about her clan's dojutsu as she would like to be. She knew the basics, but seeing as she only awakening it recently, it wasn't like she had much experience using it on her own.

Nobody was as perplexed as Zabuza, 'My movements. It's as if – it's as if he knows what I' m–'

"Going to do next?" Kakashi interrupted, finishing Zabuza's thought.

Zabuza's eyes widened in shock, 'What?' he thought. 'Is he reading my mind too?'

All of Zabuza's attention was then focused on Kakashi's Sharingan. That eye – that damned eye! A rage then built up in the pit of his stomach, and he formed yet another hand seal. This time, he'd wipe this smug bastard off of the map. That eye made him feel so…

"It pisses you off, doesn't it?" Kakashi asked while once again mimicking Zabuza's hand seals.

Zabuza grunted in frustration. He was getting talked down to like he was some second-rate brat, "Don't get too cocky, Kakashi," he warned. "All you're doing is copying me like a monkey."

"You won't beat me with cheap tricks!" both Zabuza and Kakashi said at the same time, causing Zabuza's eyes to widen even further.

Out of sheer frustration and a lack of patience, Zabuza began weaving through another set of hand seals. Anything less than annihilating Kakashi there and now wouldn't serve to repair his wounded ego, "When I'm finished with you, you'll never open that monkey mouth again!" he declared.

However, Zabuza was forced to pause mid-way from completing his jutsu when he noticed a shadow beginning to form behind Kakashi's back. Eventually, it transformed into a perfect copy of Zabuza, performing the exact same hand seals that Kakashi currently was.

'It's me? But how?' Zabuza thought before narrowing his eyes. 'Could this be a genjutsu?'

Before his theory could be confirmed, Kakashi – who had continued weaving seals during Zabuza's lapse in concentration – finally finished preparing his jutsu. As he did, the tomoe in his Sharingan began to spin hypnotically – getting progressively faster and faster.

"Water Style: Giant Vortex Jutsu," Kakashi announced.

Almost immediately, a mass of whirling water manifested in front of Kakashi. It quickly increased in volume and power before eventually launching toward Zabuza at blinding speed. The momentum of the jutsu was too high for Zabuza to react in time, and he was overtaken by the crushing force of the vortex.

As the jutsu carried him away, Zabuza attempted to swim in an effort to gain control. Yet, the current was too powerful, and he was ended up being pulled into it. The giant vortex of water also resulted in significant collateral damage to the surrounding area. Trees were swept away, the river flooded once again, and the ground was torn up and uprooted.

Naruto, in particular, felt the brunt of the jutsu, resulting in him being carried away by the water. Thankfully, he managed to securely grasp a branch that was sturdy enough not to keep him from being pulled away. Sayuri, Sakura, and Tazuna were caught in the aftermath as well. Yet, the water barely reached their knees, and staying in place wasn't that difficult.

'He's copying all of my jutsu before I can even do it!' Zabuza thought as he once again attempted to reorient himself. 'I can't keep up!'

Eventually, after being carried away for nearly a mile, Zabuza found his back pinned against a tree. He was battered, exhausted, and coughing water. Before he was given even a moment to recover, four kunai whistled through the air, embedding themselves in his legs and arms, causing him to grunt in pain. Zabuza then felt a presence nearby and looked to the top of the tree to see Kakashi perched on one of the branches.

"You're done," Kakashi observed as the water from his jutsu began to recede back into the river, carrying away branches and bushes with it and leaving a massive crater in the ground.

"How?" Zabuza groaned, having now reached a point where he realized victory was no longer possible. "Can you see the future?"

Kakashi grabbed a kunai from his weapon pouch, "Yes," he replied. "And this is your final battle."

And then, suddenly, before Kakashi could make a move to take Zabuza's life, two senbon needles flew through the air, piercing directly into Zabuza's neck. The remainder of Team 7, along with Tazuna, could only watch in shock as the body of their enemy seemed to tense before going wholly limp and collapsing face-first onto the ground.

Kakashi then became alerted to yet another presence, and his head swiveled in the direction the senbon needles came from. He saw two figures standing on a large tree branch, each wearing identical white masks, with thin, curved slits for eyes, red wave designs along the lower portion, as well as the Hidden Mist symbol etched on the forehead. Kakashi was immediately able to deduce that they were both Hunter-nin.

The one on the right had long black hair, with pinstriped hakama pants that reached his knees. Over this, he wore a green haori with white trimmings, and around his waist a brown sash that fringed at the end. He also wore light-brown platoon sandals with green straps and blue nail polish on his fingernails and toenails. His hair was gathered in a white bun holder, while two locks fell loose and framed his face, which were bound at the ends with metal hair cuffs.

The other Hunter-nin had shoulder-length white hair and wore a black, sleeveless shirt, along with light-purple-colored pants and striped leg-warmers typical of the Hidden Mist Village. His right hand rested casually on the hilt of a katana that was sheathed on his waist, and based on his relaxed posture, it was clear that he had plenty of experience using it.

It was the long-haired newcomer that spoke first, seeming amused at Zabuza's expense, "You were right. It was his last battle."

Sayuri glared at the two new mystery shinobi, as she was unsure if they were friends or foes. The masks almost immediately made them difficult to trust, and today had taught her not to trust any shinobi that weren't affiliated with the Hidden Leaf.

Further back at the river, Naruto finally managed to drag himself out of the water. He had witnessed Zabuza's final moments, just like the others, and he couldn't help but feel a bit enraged. This had been their battle. Thanks to his and Sayuri's efforts, Kakashi-sensei was able to defeat Zabuza all on his own. Then these two bastards swooped in at the last moment and ended things themselves after all the hard work was done for them.

Meanwhile, Kakashi jumped from his position in the tree and landed at Zabuza's side. At face value, it looked as though he was dead, but it was always safe to be sure. Kakashi placed his fingers against Zabuza's neck and checked for any signs of life. He felt none.

"No vital signs," he mumbled under his breath before shifting his attention back to the two Hunter-nin.

The long-haired Hunter-nin bowed his head, "Thank you. We've been tracking Zabuza for a long time, waiting for a chance to finally take him down."

"By your mask, I see that you're a Hunter-nin from the Village Hidden in the Mist," Kakashi replied, voicing what he had already figured out earlier.

It was clear that the Hunter-nin was impressed by Kakashi's deduction, "You're well informed," he responded.

In the shinobi world, Hunter-nin played a very special role. When a rogue shinobi would break away from their village, they often carried all kinds of secrets with them. Hunter-nin were explicitly trained to track down and eliminate such rogue shinobi in order to ensure that the secrets of their village remained secrets.

"It was our duty to stop Zabuza, so once again, I'd like to thank you for your assistance," the Hunter-nin continued. Meanwhile, his partner remained silent, his hand seemingly prepared to draw his blade at a moment's notice.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he continued to observe the two Hunter-nin. Based on their size and body types, they didn't appear to be all that older than Naruto. Yet, they were both already deemed skilled enough to be elite assassins? They clearly weren't ordinary kids, but there was something peculiar about them that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Once the pleasantries were out of the way, the white-haired Hunter-nin vanished in a burst of speed and appeared crouched at Zabuza's side. He lifted the corpse up and wrapped one of the arms over his shoulder in order to support the weight, which was impressive considering his size.

"Your struggle is over for now," the other Hunter-nin assured from his position on the tree branch. "But not, we have to deal with the remains. There are many secrets hidden in this body. They can't be allowed to get into the wrong hands."

Then, with a farewell, the two Hunter-nin both used the body flicker jutsu and disappeared. Once it finally appeared as though the fighting was over, Kakashi reached up for his headband and pulled it back over his Sharingan. It wasn't often these days that he was forced to use his Sharingan for such an extended period. Frankly, it was more taxing than he expected.

"We haven't finished our mission yet," Kakashi spoke up. "We still have to get Mr. Tazuna back to his bridge."

Tazuna openly laughed, clearly relieved that the crisis had been averted, "Sorry I caused you so much trouble," he said. "But you can get some rest once we get to my house!"

Now that was a plan that Kakashi could immediately get behind. He instructed his team that it was time to head out and began walking in the direction of Tazuna's home. However, now that the adrenaline of the battle had subsided, he felt his body completely drained of all energy. Before he could take another step, his body froze, and he collapsed directly on his face.

The last thing Kakashi heard before wholly losing consciousness was Sakura shouting out to him in concern, "Kakashi-sensei!"

* * *

"Sensei, you're really heavy, ya know?" Naruto complained through gritted teeth. Kakashi, whose arm was currently draped over his student's shoulder, had the decency to look embarrassed.

"Nobody said that you had to carry me on your own, Naruto."

Sakura giggled at the admittedly humorous scene. Kakashi was so much larger than Naruto, and it was quite ridiculous watching him being carried around like a petulant child who sprained their ankle. Still, it was rather impressive that Naruto was able to support the full weight of an adult man all by himself. Even though he was doing an ample amount of complaining, he hadn't lagged behind at all on their journey to Tazuna's home.

"Be gentle with him, Naruto," Sakura said, her tone decidedly playful as she took the opportunity to tease her sensei. "Like you're carrying a teacup – otherwise you might break him."

Kakashi gaped over at Sakura with a look of shock and betrayal, "Not you too, Sakura..."

Sayuri couldn't stop to small smirk from spreading across her face as she observed Kakashi's predicament – along with Sakura's admittedly funny jab. Seeing her sensei in such a pitiful state was beyond amusing. During their short time together – particularly during the bell test – they'd all been picked on in one way or another by Kakashi. It felt like justice, to be honest, and now that they were safe, it was okay to let loose and enjoy the situation.

"We'll reach my home shortly," Tazuna remarked while looking amused as well.

In roughly two to three minutes, they finally reached the property. Much like all of the other buildings so far in the Land of Waves, Tazuna's house was situated over the water – held up by pillars and docks. It was a square, two-story building, with a mill adjacent to the main structure. All in all, it looked rather like what most mainlanders would consider to be a coastal summer home.

A look of pride passed over Tazuna's face as he welcomed his protectors onto his property, "Well, here it is," he announced, making a sweeping motion with his hand. "I built this place with my own two hands. I'm grateful I can call it mine."

"Eh, at this point, a mud hut would do," Naruto remarked before yawning. "I'm exhausted."

And with that, they were finally given an opportunity for some much-needed rest.

* * *

Far away, in a clearing deep in the forest, the two Hunter-nin were preparing to destroy Zabuza's corpse. The boy with the long-hair was unraveling a kit of medical tools while the boy with the white hair was testing the weight of Zabuza's massive blade in his hand. Despite his size, he was capable of wielding the weapon with ease.

"What do you think, Haku?" he asked. "This weapon suits me, does it not?"

The Hunter-nin, whose name was apparently Haku, let out a soft chuckle, "Stop playing with that thing, Mangetsu. I need to concentrate."

Once all of his equipment was laid out, Haku took a pair of scissors so that he could cut the bandages around Zabuza's face and drain some of the blood. He leaned over the corpse and seemed to ponder where he should cut first before eventually coming to a decision. However, before he could bring the scissors close to Zabuza's face, a hand quickly gripped his wrist.

Zabuza's eyes suddenly opened, and he used his remaining hand to pull down his mask, revealing his mouth and sharpened teeth, "Enough," he growled. "I'll do it."

Neither Haku or Mangetsu appeared surprised that Zabuza was alive, "So you've already come back to life?" Haku pondered as Zabuza struggled to sit up.

With seemingly little concern with his wellbeing, Zabuza reached up for the senbon needles embedded in his neck and ripped one out, "Dammit," he complained. "You're brutal, Haku."

Haku shook his head, "You're the one who's brutal, Master Zabuza," he countered in amusement. "If you aren't careful while pulling those out, you may actually die."

Once the second senbon was removed, Zabuza visibly relaxed. He then shifted his attention toward Mangetsu – or, more specifically, his sword.

"Who said that you could wield that, you brat?" Zabuza snarled before his eyes darted between Mangetsu and Haku. "And how long are you two going to wear those phony masks? Take them off."

Haku was the first to do as instructed, removing his mask to reveal an androgynous face that could only be described as beautiful. He had big brown eyes and pale skin, along with a pleasant smile that seemed odd on the face of a trained killer. Mangetsu's appearance, on the other hand, seemed more fitting. He had purple eyes and shark-like teeth, much like Zabuza, which gave him the look of a predator. They both wore Hidden Mist headbands.

"If Haku hadn't interfered, you'd be dead, Master Zabuza," Mangetsu argued with a small smile. "You should be more grateful."

Zabuza scoffed, "And what exactly did you do?" he asked. "Besides playing with something that doesn't belong to you?"

"You always said that I would inherit the Executioner's Blade when you died," Mangetsu explained. "And you were technically dead just now."

A glare from Zabuza was enough for Mangetsu to relent and stab the blade into the ground and leave it behind so he could relax against a tree. Seeing that his prized possession wasn't being tinkered with any longer was enough to settle Zabuza's nerves. However, it was clear from his posture that he was still incredibly tense and uncomfortable.

"Putting me in a temporary death state is fine, but did you really have to target the pressure points in my neck?" he complained after switching his attention back to Haku. "You're cruel as usual. I think you enjoy it."

Haku brushed off the accusation with a friendly smile, "It was the only sure way. And if I had left a mark on that 'flawless body' of yours, you would complain even more," he jested. "The neck is more vulnerable. There's no layer of muscle, so I could go straight through to the pressure points."

Apparently, too exhausted to argue any further, Zabuza attempted to move but found that his body wasn't quite responding to his commands.

"There's no point in trying to move now. You'll be numb for about a week," Haku warned. "Although, if you're stubborn as usual, you'll probably recover in half the time."

Zabuza gave Haku a sideward glance, "You're innocent and clever at the same time," he observed. "A rare combination."

"Speaking of clever, those genin proved more skilled than we could have anticipated," Mangetsu interrupted. "Kakashi Hatake is the clear threat, but do you think they'll become a problem as well?"

Being reminded of his defeat caused Zabuza to scowl. He didn't know what was more humiliating, being outsmarted by a couple of brats or being utterly decimated by Kakashi? It wasn't often he failed as badly as he did today. Not only did he lose the Demon Brothers and fail to assassinate the target, but now he would be out of commission for quite a while.

"That boy," Haku said, clearly referring to Naruto. "He uses a strange jutsu, does he not?"

Mangetsu nodded in agreement, "I've never seen anything like it," he admitted. "He was able to create a solid weapon using his chakra. Is it possible he could have a kekkei genkai like us?"

Zabuza frowned. And that girl with the black hair had the Sharingan as well. Before today, he wouldn't have been that worried. Yet, after seeing what Kakashi was capable of, he'd never underestimate the Sharingan again. Even if she wasn't as experienced using it, she could definitely become a threat.

"I think it would be best if you allow me and Haku to handle those genin, Master Zabuza," Mangetsu proposed. "The last thing you need is someone getting in your way again."

If only Haku and Mangetsu had been there in the first place, Zabuza thought. He would have had Kakashi finished in that water prison, and that old man would be a corpse in the ground by now. In hindsight, ordering them to not get involved may have been a mistake. However, he couldn't have been able to predict how tricky that situation was going to become. He thought he'd be dealing with some run of the mill jonin and his trio of brats.

"Fine," Zabuza relented.

Haku smiled before rising to his feet, "The mist has cleared," he observed before looking back to Zabuza. "Next time will you be all right?"

"Next time, I'll see right through his Sharingan."

* * *

**~End~**

* * *

**And here we are. The longest chapter to date. Part of the reason that it took me so long to finish this was that it ended up being way longer than I expected. My goal was about 10,000 words or so, but excluding this AU, the chapter ended up being nearly 14,000 words long. To put that into perspective, the section of Team 7 vs. Zabuza was 6,743 words, which alone is longer than most of the chapters I've posted on my other story, which are about 5,300 words on average.**

**Also, this arc has been particularly challenging to write. I, like all of you, am a fan of Naruto, and therefore, have watched and read the Land of Waves Arc so many times. It's rather tedious writing all of it in this story. In fact, a lot of authors opt to skip this arc entirely or skim through it without much detail. I was tempted to do the same but decided against doing so in the end. A lot of this arc will be the same as canon, but quite a bit will be different as well. For example, in this story, Haku isn't Zabuza's only partner. Suigetsu's older brother, Mangetsu, is involved as well, and he's about the same age as Haku. In canon, it was stated that Suigetsu and Mangetsu were students of Zabuza, so I felt that it made sense to include him. Also, since Sayuri and Naruto are stronger than Sasuke and Naruto were in canon at this point in the story, I felt the introduction of another antagonist was necessary to challenge them. For the record, though, while they're strong, they aren't as strong as Haku or Mangetsu...yet.**

**Anyway, thanks again for reading. I'll try to get the next chapter out soon, but since the chapters in this story are really long and detailed, I can't say for sure when it'll be finished.**


	5. The Land Where a Hero Once Lived

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. All characters in this story, excluding those that are created by me, are the intellectual property of Masashi Kishimoto. Please show support by reading or watching the original source material.**

* * *

**~Confronting the Shadow: Chapter Five~**

* * *

" **The Land Where a Hero Once Lived"**

The first thing Kakashi noticed upon waking up was that he wasn't alone. Kneeling next to him was a fairly attractive woman with long blue hair. He immediately recognized her as Tsunami, the daughter of Tazuna. Upon arriving at their client's home, they had been greeted by her, and she offered him a room to sleep before he subsequently passed out due to exhaustion.

"Are you feeling any better, sir?" Tsunami asked with a pleasant smile. Tazuna, who was lounging on the other side of the room, expressed his pleasure at Kakashi's apparent recovery before continuing to drink his morning tea.

Kakashi only had the energy to nod before the door to the bedroom opened, and his students poured in. Sakura was by far and away the most excited to see that he was awake, while Naruto — and Sayuri in particular — were much more subdued. Seeing them made him feel somewhat guilty. He was their teacher, and yesterday they had to rescue him and then carry his exhausted body to safety.

"Kakashi-sensei! You're finally awake," Sakura exclaimed.

Ever since he was first put in charge of Team 7, Kakashi was almost immediately floored by just how kindhearted, and amiable Sakura was. Every day — no matter the time or the weather — she was the first to greet him when he arrived and the first to say goodbye when the day ended. Comparatively speaking, Naruto and Sayuri were much more complex and challenging to deal with in their own unique ways.

Reading the room, Tsunami decided to give the team some space, "I'll let you all discuss your shinobi business," she said before leaving Kakashi's bedside and sitting down next to Tazuna. "Let me know if any of you need anything."

Team 7 was grateful for the gesture, and Kakashi and Sakura offered words of appreciation before they were finally able to have a talk. Naruto, Sakura, and Sayuri then sat at Kakashi's side, with expectant looks gracing their faces. They clearly expected some form of instruction or briefing, and Kakashi was happy to oblige. However, he wasn't confident that they would like what he was going to say.

After their encounter with the two Hunter-nin at the climax of their battle with Zabuza, something had been eating at Kakashi. The way the Hunter-nin conducted themselves wasn't consistent with the typical protocols. For one, they were oddly talkative, whereas most in their profession were quite wary and suspicious of outsiders. Secondly, they took Zabuza's body away rather than destroying it on the spot.

"I hate to start this morning off on a bad note, but I think I may have some bad news," Kakashi explained, causing his students to lean forward in anticipation. "It's very likely that Zabuza is still alive."

All were shocked at the revelation, but none more so than Sakura. The girl's face instantly shifted from amicable curiosity to pure dread. Unlike Naruto and Sayuri, Sakura wasn't nearly as polished or skilled when it came to combat-ready skills. She was much more adept at using her mind, but yesterday she had been so rattled that even that proved too difficult for her. No doubt, she had been relieved at the possibility that the worst was behind them.

"What do you mean, sensei? We saw him die. You said it yourself, he had no pulse!" Sakura questioned.

Kakashi shook his head, "Even then, I found the Hunter-nin's choice of weapon to be a bit odd," he explained. "Senbon have little in the way of killing power, but they're renowned for their precision and accuracy. A skilled enough user could easily target the pressure points in the neck to initiate a death-like state."

"But why would they do that?" Naruto asked with a furrowed brow. "Are you thinking that they might be on Zabuza's side?"

That was essentially Kakashi's theory, "I think they were watching our battle from afar the entire time. The moment they realized Zabuza was defeated and at risk of being killed, they intervened in a way that would allow their ally to survive," he elaborated. "I wasn't able to notice these inconsistencies in the heat of the moment — which is surely what they were counting on."

Sayuri frowned. So Zabuza was alive and apparently had two dangerous allies as well? Admittedly, the revelation that there would be more battles to come was rather appealing. She was ashamed to admit that her initial response to Zabuza was pathetic. She was quite literally rendered a quivering mess like some frightened child. It was only upon working together with Naruto that she gathered the strength to fight back.

Recalling fighting side-by-side with Naruto caused Sayuri to subtly gauge her teammate's reaction to the news. He didn't seem all that scared or worried. Still, there was a slight tension in his jaw that indicated that he was taking the situation very seriously. Zabuza was powerful enough in his own right, and now it seemed as though he wouldn't be the only enemy to contend with when they next crossed paths.

"Frankly, despite your impressive performances yesterday, I stand by what I said when I told you all that you aren't prepared for this mission," Kakashi said. "At that point, I would have classified our mission as B-Rank, but now I'd say that it is easily A-Rank."

For a moment, Sayuri was worried that Kakashi was thinking about calling it quits here and now. Based on Sakura's reaction, it was clear that she was thinking the same thing as well. She looked as though she was eager to hear that they would be heading back to the village as soon as possible. Sayuri understood where she was coming from, but it was this inherent fear that prevented her from completely respecting Sakura as a peer. A true shinobi shouldn't fear danger.

"However, since we're essentially already in enemy territory, and I'm not in traveling condition, returning to the village doesn't seem like a viable option," Kakashi continued, immediately satisfying Sayuri and taking the wind out of Sakura's sails. "With that being said, I've decided that for the next week, I'm going to train you all so that you'll be prepared as possible for the trials to come."

Sakura seemed skeptical, "Do you really think that we'll be able to get ready in only a week?" she inquired. "And what if we don't even have that much time to prepare? Zabuza could attack again tomorrow for all we know."

Kakashi shook his head, "Thankfully, time is on our side," he said. "Zabuza will likely be out of commission for about a week after having his pressure points targeted in such a manner."

That would give Kakashi some much-needed time to recover as well. He'd exhausted nearly all of his chakra, which wasn't something one quickly came back from without ample rest. With Kakashi at his best, and the rest of them allowed to improve and learn from the previous battle, Sayuri was confident that they would come out on top.

"It doesn't matter what you do. You're just wasting your time," a voice suddenly interrupted from the doorway.

Team 7 turned toward the mysterious figure and saw a small boy, no older than eight. He had spiky black hair, dark-colored eyes, a green jumpsuit, a yellow shirt, and a blue and white bucket hat. He had a petulant, sullen expression on his face, and Sayuri immediately got the feeling that he was going to be irritating.

"Inari!" Tazuna called out with glee. "Where have you been, my boy?"

Inari, as he was apparently called, jogged over to Tazuna and gave him a hug. He greeted him and called him 'grandpa' which all but confirmed that this must have been the grandson Tazuna had told them about.

Tsunami placed her hands on her hips and frowned, "Inari, that was very rude. Those shinobi helped your grandpa and brought him here safely."

"It's okay," Tazuna waved off with a grin. "I'm rude to them too."

At that moment, everyone on Team 7 mentally sighed. Truer words had never been spoken.

Despite his mother's lecture, Inari continued to glare at Team 7 with disdain. Sayuri couldn't figure out what his deal was, and in the end, decided that she didn't care. She didn't make a habit of concerning herself too much with annoying people — unless she didn't have a choice, like in the case of Naruto.

"Mom, don't you see that these people are going to die? Gatō and his men will return and wipe them all out."

Naruto scoffed before glancing at the rest of Team 7, "Well, so much for the hero's welcome, huh?"

The word seemed to trigger a response from within Inari, who glared even harder and fixed his gaze solely on Naruto.

"There's no such thing as heroes, idiot," Inari insulted. "And even if there was, they wouldn't wear orange like some clown."

Naruto's brow twitched, and Sakura was quick to place a hand on his shoulder before he did anything rash. Sayuri, on the other hand, could at the very least appreciate someone who was able to get under Naruto's skin — if only just a little bit. Even still, that didn't mean she was a big fan of the cheeky brat either.

Inari then turned to the other members of Team 7, "If you want to stay alive, you should go back to wherever you came from," he said before turning to leave the room.

Tazuna stood from his seated position, "Inari, wait. Where are you going?"

"To look out at the ocean," Inari replied as he opened the sliding doors of the bedroom. "I wanna be alone."

Once the doors were closed behind Inari, Tazuna turned to Team 7 and offered an awkward apology on his grandson's behalf. Seeing no reason to hang back any longer, Naruto, Sayuri, and Sakura went to prepare their things so they could train. Tsunami helped Kakashi to his feet and gave him a crutch to support his weight. Sayuri then looked over her shoulder to see Naruto gathering his supplies like a grumpy child.

"...nothing wrong with orange," Naruto mumbled under his breath with a scowl as he packed his bag.

Sayuri smirked.

* * *

Once Kakashi had recovered a bit more, Team 7 traveled to a nearby forest to train. It was an environment that was more familiar to them, and one they were far more comfortable with. The trees loomed relatively high, but they weren't quite as colossal as those back in the Land of Fire. It was rumored that the First Hokage himself used his powers to nurture the forests and cause them to be the largest in all of the Five Great Nations.

"Alright, similarly to our first week together, I've prepared individual training regimens for each of you," Kakashi explained once they found a sizable clearing. He was nor more grateful than ever to have been given the crutch by Tsunami, otherwise he wouldn't be able to stand at all.

Kakashi then retrieved two scrolls from his pouch and tossed one to Naruto and one to Sakura, "Naruto in your scroll is the Body Flicker jutsu. I think it'll suit your style nicely," he explained before turning to Sakura. "And Sakura, your scroll contains the basics of medical ninjutsu. I'm not all that well versed in it myself, but until I can find you a proper tutor, you'll have to settle for that. But with your excellent chakra control and studiousness, I'm sure you'll excel at it."

As usual, Sakura appeared excited to be learning something new. Her academic nature really lent to her being suited for memorizing and processing abstract concepts. It was the physical applications where she was lacking. Medical ninjutsu was the perfect avenue for her to thrive. It was essentially just intelligence and medical know-how coupled with refined chakra control. She already had two out of the three requirements, and now she just needed to do what she did best — study.

'With this, can I finally…?' Sakura thought to herself while sneaking a sideward glance at her teammates.

Naruto and Sayuri were so far ahead of Sakura in terms of skill that it wasn't even funny. If the bell test had made her feel insecure, the battle with the chunin and Zabuza left her feeling useless. Whether it be a test against a jonin, a chance encounter with two enemy chunin, or a struggle to the death with an A-Rank criminal, Naruto and Sayuri seemed to always rise to the occasion. And yet, Sakura could only ever watch from the sidelines.

Kakashi turned to Naruto and Sakura and instructed them to find a place to practice their new techniques. He would come to check on their progress shortly. However, engrossed in her thoughts as she was, Sakura didn't hear a word. She was fixated on the new possibilities. With this scroll, she could finally find her place on Team 7.

It was only in that moment that Sakura realized she didn't have any specific goals for the future. She didn't know what kind of jutsu she wanted to learn, or what fighting style she would even use. For the most part, she had been figuring things out as she went along. The fact that she was average at just about everything jutsu-related meant that she never really focused all that hard on one particular type of jutsu. That would change, starting now.

"You coming, Sakura?" Naruto asked, dragging her back to reality.

Sakura's cheeks flushed at the unexpected attention, "Y-Yeah," she replied before following Naruto out of the clearing.

That left only Sayuri, whose arms were crossed almost impatiently as she awaited Kakashi's instruction. Not that she wasn't grateful, but during their last week of training, all she learned was how to run up a tree and blow smoke out of her mouth. Okay, maybe she was exaggerating. That jutsu came in handy, after all, but this time she was expecting something that was more noteworthy.

Sayuri recalled that during Naruto's training with Kakashi, he ended up learning a powerful clone jutsu. In her mind, that meant it would only be fair if she was given comparable advancement during her week of training. If there was even a slight gap between her and Naruto, she wanted to match and then eventually surpass it. Otherwise, he'd never shut up about it.

But first, there was something she had been waiting to ask her sensei.

Kakashi seemed amused by her restlessness, "My, my, someone's eager to get started," he remarked.

"How do you have a Sharingan?" Sayuri quickly interjected before Kakashi could continue whatever irritating thing he was probably about to say.

In an instant, Kakashi's demeanor changed. The mischievous twinkle in his eye seemed to vanish and was replaced with a weariness that exposed a wounded heart. Whatever his explanation was, it was apparently not something he enjoyed discussing.

"Well, if anyone is entitled to know, I suppose it's you," Kakashi conceded with a shrug. "During the Third War, a comrade gave away his life to save mine. In his final moments, he entrusted me with this Sharingan. With every day that goes by, I try to be worthy of his sacrifice."

Sayuri's lips twitched as she couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. From the moment she learned that Kakashi had a Sharingan, she immediately reached the worst possible conclusion. Her clan had always been mindful of the fact that there were outsiders who coveted their power — the incident with the attempted theft of the Byakugan from the Hyūga clan only exacerbated these worries. With that said, her sensei had done nothing up to this point to deserve her doubt.

And regardless, Kakashi demonstrated a skill with the Sharingan that even members of her clan would have no choice but to respect. In fact, she'd never seen someone utilized the Sharingan in actual combat, and it made her excited to continue to advance her own. The thought of copying someone's jutsu and using it against them was incredibly appealing.

Kakashi then placed his hand on the left side of his headband — the side that concealed his Sharingan, "Don't feel bad about being curious either. When I first gained this eye, your clan was at a bit of a loss for what to do. In the end, they must have approved; otherwise, I wouldn't have it anymore."

In the end, Sayuri decided that if her father apparently had no issue with it, then it wasn't her place to try and make a fuss. Interestingly, Kakashi said that he had been given the eye during the Third Great Shinobi War, which meant that he'd had it longer than she'd been alive. That made the notion of any attempts at expressing outrage on her part seem even more ridiculous.

"With that being said, I've learned a lot during my time with this eye, and have managed to make quite a name for myself," Kakashi continued. "I might not be an Uchiha, but seeing as we don't have many other options available at the moment, I suppose you'll have to settle for me. Now, active your Sharingan, and let's get to work."

Sayuri couldn't help but smirk. Straight to business. She liked that.

* * *

Sakura studied her scroll with brow furling intensity. She'd always demonstrated an admirable dedication to whatever she put her mind to, especially when it came to academics. It made sense then that Kakashi would choose medical ninjutsu as her area of focus. So far, she was making steady progress.

Apparently, chakra had both destructive and healing properties, which depended entirely on the user's application. By pouring one's chakra into a wound, the natural healing process could be accelerated. The speed and effectiveness of the healing were dependent on the user's skill and experience, which could be honed through rigorous study and training.

The first stage of the training was to find a dead leaf and restore its color and vibrance. This process was pioneered in the Hidden Leaf Village (go figure) by someone the text called the Slug Princess. The procedure was especially effective on vegetation due to the abundance of chakra that saturated nature, making it the perfect beginner's training tool.

Feeling as though she had a basic grasp of the concept, Sakura surveyed her surroundings before identifying a dead leaf on the ground nearby. Picking it up, she ran her fingers against the withered surface, noting that it lacked the waxy texture that a living leaf did. Still, there was a different kind of beauty in it that she found to be rather pleasing. There was a reason that autumn was considered by many to be the most beautiful season of all.

Putting those thoughts to the side, Sakura gripped the stem of the dead leaf and began carefully funneling her chakra into it. This was slightly different from a regular chakra control exercise. It required that the user harness the more "spiritual" aspect of chakra, which required intense mental concentration. It was for this reason that medical ninjutsu was primarily utilized by those with a knack for academics and critical thinking.

Initially, Sakura noticed no changes. She felt chakra hum at her fingertips, not unlike when she focused chakra into the soles of her feet during the tree-climbing exercise. After a few moments with no progress, she halted the flow of chakra and let out a steady breath. Sweat began to trickle down her brow, belaying the sheer exhaustion caused by an activity that would seem like nothing to an outside observer.

'It's the same feeling I get when I cram the night before an exam,' Sakura groaned in her head. That was the best way she could describe it. The focus required for the jutsu was immense, to the point where if her thoughts shifted elsewhere for even a split second, all of her progress would be undone.

Sakura breathed deeply through her nose, pinched the stem with a gentle grip, and closed her eyes. She began with emptying her mind, focusing on images of life and rebirth. She imagined the leaf slowly regaining its color and began to practically feel the familiar waxy sensation against her fingers. Her eyes opened, and she saw both her fingers and the leaf become encased in an intoxicating green aura.

It was just as Sakura saw the faint signs of life returning to the leaf that she heard and felt a loud thud reverberate behind her. Her concentration was immediately broken, and she swiveled around with displeasure to confront whoever was responsible. However, her anger immediately faded when she saw Naruto faceplanted onto the ground, apparently having crashed with enough force to actually make a comical indentation of his body in the dirt. Sakura would have laughed if not for the fact that she had a heart...though she would be lying if she said she wasn't fighting the urge.

With a groan, Naruto lifted his head out of the ground, spitting dirt and muttering obscenities. It reminded Sakura of the bell test when she'd rescued him from his earthly prison through the use of a good-old explosive tag. Seeing Naruto in a vulnerable light gave her the feeling that she was taking a glimpse at his true self — a hotheaded kid who was often too cocky for his own good. She found that person to be far more relatable than the boy she'd known at the Academy.

"I hate this damn jutsu," Naruto growled, still not noticing that he was no longer alone. "I swear I'm doing everything right!"

"Apparently not," Sakura blurted out before she even thought about what she was saying.

Naruto's eyes darted to her like a dog who had just been caught standing on the dinner table. There was a moment of silent awkwardness that was beginning to become a theme of their interactions together. It seemed as though Sakura had a knack for crossing paths with Naruto at his worst moments. When she thought about it, she noted that he was lucky she was his teammate, rather than someone like Ino. If that were the case, the whole village would hear about his blunders.

"Oh. Hey," Naruto replied, breaking the silence and rising back to his feet.

Sakura inclined her head, "So what brought you over here with such...force?" she asked, trying her best not to be insensitive.

Naruto scoffed and walked up to her before sitting at her side. He looked out at the small stream that ran through the woods near Tazuna's house, "Just the stupid jutsu that Kakashi-sensei gave me. It's more complicated than I thought. I'm able to do the Body Flicker just fine — it's the landing that I'm having trouble with," he explained before glancing over at her. "And you? What's with the leaf?"

Sakura's eyes brightened at the opportunity to explain something that she had just learned. In her experience, the best way to truly master a subject was to explain it to a person who had no idea what it was and to do so in a way that made sense. She would also be lying if she said there wasn't a hint of satisfaction brought forth by the fact that she knew something that the number one student in her class didn't.

"So how do you make your chakra do that, anyway?" Naruto asked after she gave him the basic rundown.

Not quite knowing the best way to explain, Sakura shrugged, "It's like chakra control but even harder," she elaborated. "I can't really explain since I haven't even managed to do it yet."

With a slight nod, Naruto's attention then shifted to the leaf in Sakura's hand. After a brief moment of thought, he held out his own hand — almost expectantly. It took Sakura a moment to realize that he was asking her to hand the leaf over, and seeing no harm in letting him have a look at it, she complied with no fuss.

Pinching the stem between his finger, Naruto held the leaf right up to his eye and squinted inquisitively, "Hmm," he muttered. "So, you're supposed to bring it back to life?"

"Well, technically-"

Before she could finish, Naruto stood to his feet with a look of extreme concentration on his face. He held the leaf out at arms reach and closed his eyes. His grip on the stem tightened to the point that she noticed his arm begin to tremble. Sakura quickly realized that he was trying to complete the exercise with the little information she had revealed to him.

Sakura could only watch on in awe as visible chakra began to manifest around Naruto's outstretched hand. The leaf began to quiver as if standing up against a strong wind, and Sakura began to wonder if Naruto was succeeding where she had failed. If so, that would mean that everything she had heard about him up to this point was true. He really was a genius. The type of shinobi that came around only once every—

Her shameless admiration was then interrupted when the leaf proceeded to explode in an extraordinary fashion — a clear sign that Naruto had used way too much chakra.

Silence reigned, and Sakura could swear that she heard a bird cawing almost mockingly in the distance. A bead of sweat then proceeded to drip down the side of Naruto's head, and due to the angle of the lightning a shadow hid his eyes from view. His head then swiveled slowly to face her, and Sakura nearly lurched back at the sheer intensity of his presence.

"Did that look as embarrassing as it felt?" Naruto asked, tonelessly.

Sakura blinked only once before admitting, "Kinda," she said, her voice gentle and pitying.

Then there was silence once more.

"I'll go get you another leaf."

* * *

Gatō's hideout was an odd-looking structure that was built surrounding a large tree. It was supported by steel cables that extended into the ground and other surrounding trees. It included suspension bridges that connected to other, smaller structures that were usually manned by Gatō's security.

Zabuza was still recuperating after his fight with Kakashi. He appeared far too vulnerable for his liking, being confined to a bed like some feeble old man. At his bedside was the ever-loyal Haku, tending to him as always. He often found himself pondering Haku's incredible devotion to him, and simply credited it to the kid's rough background. Only someone with a crappy life would be grateful to be saddled with a rogue shinobi, after all.

Their privacy was then interrupted when the door opened, revealing Gatō and his lackeys Zōri and Waraji — two rogue samurai who were nothing special as far as Zabuza was concerned. They were amateurs compared to the samurai from the Land of Iron, who knew how to use chakra in their fighting style. Still, the two thugs were tough enough to kill ordinary people, and that was all Gatō needed from them.

"Well, would you look at this," Gatō mocked with disdain. "I'd laugh if not for the fact that you're wasting my money. So much for the fearsome shinobi of the Hidden Mist Village. You can't even clean up after your own subordinates."

Gatō looked about how most would expect, with a small stature that he clearly attempted to compensate for with his extravagant lifestyle. He had shaggy brown hair, a pencil mustache, and sported a pair of small, circular black glasses, along with a suit and tie. His shoes, which were closed-toed, identified him being a member of the elite business class.

Despite the ridicule from someone he viewed to be completely inferior to him, Zabuza showed no frustration or anger. In fact, it was actually Haku who took the most offense, rising out of his chair and glaring over his shoulder. The gesture caused Zōri and Waraji to place their hands on the hilts of their swords, an escalation that was immediately noticed by Haku.

Noticing the budding tension, Gatō waved off his subordinates, much to their surprise, "Hold on," he said before walking past them to Zabuza's bedside.

He approached the Demon of the Mist with unwarranted confidence that bordered on stupidity. Actually, He went as far as to reach out to Zabuza's face, "Don't be shy, Zabuza. Are you really going to let your little boy-servant here stand up for you on your behalf?"

At the last moment, Haku's hand snapped out and gripped Gatō's wrist in a vice, while Zabuza continued to scowl at the ceiling. It was clear that Gatō wasn't used to someone making such a blatant threat to his safety, if the look of shock plastered over his face was anything to go by.

"Don't touch Master Zabuza with your filthy hands," Haku warned before snapping Gatō's wrist with little effort.

Gatō screeched out with pain, prompting Zōri and Waraji to finally unsheathe their swords to protect their boss. The sound of steel sliding against wood must have alerted Haku, who turned on a dime and quickly identified the threat. Before the two samurai could blink, Haku was standing between them, having disarmed them, holding their own blades against their throats.

"I wouldn't do that," Haku growled, his eyes widening with fury.

Thankfully, rather than killing Zōri and Waraji where they stood, Haku threw their weapons onto the ground and returned to Zabuza's bedside. Having been both injured and dismissed in such a short amount of time, Gatō was incensed. However, seeing Haku's inhuman display was enough for him to realize that there weren't enough mercenaries in his hideout to take him out.

Gripping his now broken wrist, Gatō offered one final warning before leaving, "N-Next time you better not fail; otherwise, there will be no place for you to hide here!"

Once he was sure that they were gone, Haku sat back down. It was then that he noticed the kunai that Zabuza was concealing under his blanket, "That was unnecessary, Haku," Zabuza lectured.

Haku smiled. He was always aware that his master was deadly and prepared no matter the circumstances.

"I know," Haku admitted. "But it's too early to take down Gatō right now. If we attract too much attention, then the hunter-nin will be back on our trail once more. We have to be cautious for now."

Zabuza's scowl deepened, "Yeah."

After a few more moments of silence, the door opened once more. Initially, Haku thought that it was Gatō again, but was relieved when she saw that it was Mangetsu, who had apparently returned from his special mission. Zabuza noticed his return as well and tried to sit up in his bed, only to be forced back down by Haku.

"What did you find out?" Zabuza growled, a bit irritated at being babied by his own subordinate.

Mangetsu strolled over to the windowsill before sitting on the edge, "Kakashi Hatake seems to be out of commission — at least for the time being," he explained. "If you'd given me permission to kill him, I could have ended our problems right there."

Not long after returning to Gatō's base, Zabuza had ordered Mangetsu to obtain information on their new foe. Kakashi Hatake was the primary focus, of course, seeing as he was the only real threat. However, Zabuza made sure to give specific orders for Mangetsu not to engage with the Hidden Leaf team at all, and to prioritize not being spotted.

"Don't be cocky, brat. Hatake could have stumps for legs and still be too much for you," Zabuza warned. "He's known for using lightning style jutsu, so I don't want you going anywhere near him."

With a slight frown, Mangetsu relented with a nod. Being a member of the Hozuki clan, he could liquefy any part of his body at will. This made him virtually invulnerable to conventional attacks. It also allowed him to pump water into his muscles to enhance his strength, and slip through even the smallest cracks and crevices, which augmented his stealth and infiltration skills. Despite the versatility of his liquid state, it rendered him very vulnerable to lightning, which would render him a puddle of jelly.

Though, both Haku and Mangestu knew that one of the reasons why he didn't want either of them trying to kill Kakashi Hatake was because he wanted to avenge his defeat on his own. They would never admit being privy to that fact to his face, though.

"What else did you find out?" Zabuza inquired impatiently.

Mangetsu continued, "That girl is definitely an Uchiha," he said, "There's an emblem on her clothing that matches up exactly with what you described. And the boy...well, you aren't going to believe this."

Haku frowned slightly at Mangetsu's hesitance to continue. Zabuza was far less subtle with his displeasure, propping himself up with his elbow and sending a harsh glare his subordinate's way. He had never been a patient man, and therefore, didn't enjoy asking for things twice.

"Out with it!" Zabuza snapped.

Mangetsu cleared his throat in apparent discomfort, "When the Hidden Leaf Team met the bridge builder's family, I heard the blond kid introduced as Naruto Uzumaki."

Zabuza's eyes widened, and Haku found himself feeling out of the loop. He had vague memories of the name Uzumaki, but couldn't really associate it with anything significant. Unlike Zabuza and Mangetsu, Haku hadn't been raised in the Hidden Mist village. Therefore, he didn't receive the same formal education, leaving him less informed about historical events.

"Is that a problem?" Haku asked.

"Not particularly. It's just surprising, is all," Mangetsu explained. "The Uzumaki clan are supposed to be all gone. We helped exterminate them around thirty years ago."

For a brief moment, Haku felt shame at wearing the Hidden Mist headband. It wasn't the first time that he'd ever felt that way. Still, Zabuza considered the village to be his home, so Haku chose to represent it with pride despite his personal feelings. As far as he was concerned, the Hidden Mist was a village with a terrible history — an unstable hellhole with a penchant for civil war and genocide. It was for this reason that Zabuza's goal was so important.

"To think that there would still be an Uzumaki skulking around these days," Zabuza pondered. "From what I've heard, they used to be best buddies with the Hidden Leaf Village, so it isn't a surprise that some survivors may have escaped there. Still, that brat doesn't look anything like they were supposed to have looked."

Haku hesitated before chiming in, "Is there a reason that they had to all be killed?" he muttered quietly, knowing that Zabuza would interpret his curiosity regarding the subject to be a sign of weakness.

Predictably, Zabuza merely scowled in his direction before staring back up at the ceiling. Seeing as his master had just removed himself from the conversation, Haku shifted his attention to Mangetsu, who he was confident would be willing to explain things to him.

"They were dangerous masters of fuinjutsu, and were close allies with the Hidden Leaf Village — as Master Zabuza said," Mangetsu clarified. "We made a pact with the other villages to destroy them — and their village — the Hidden Whirlpool. It was all to keep the balance of power from shifting too far in favor of the Hidden Leaf."

Haku lowered his head, "I see."

Then that boy was just like him. Under better circumstances, Haku was sure they would have much to discuss. Two young boys whose clans had been hunted like animals out of paranoia and fear. He just hoped that the upcoming battle wouldn't be the end of both their families.

* * *

**(The Following Afternoon)**

Standing on the bridge really put into perspective just how monumental it actually was. Sakura had spent the entire morning watching the laborers go about their business. Some used heavy machinery to move materials, and others more or less worked with their hands and small tools. In the middle of it all was Tazuna, who was managing the entire process. He conducted himself far more seriously while on the job, if the absence of liquor was anything to go by.

Despite herself, Sakura let out a yawn. She's been forced to wake up early in the morning to leave with Tazuna. Tomorrow it would apparently be Kakashi's turn, and then eventually Naruto or Sayuri's after that. Thinking about why she had been chosen for the day, she couldn't help but smirk. Much like with the tree-climbing exercise, she was improving at a far greater pace than Naruto and Sayuri. It was to the point where Kakashi-sensei was comfortable enough with her progress to let her have the morning off from training.

"Well, well, aren't you lazy?" Tazuna observed will carrying a piece of timber over his shoulder. "Whatever happened with the blond kid and the unpleasant girl?"

Sakura shrugged, "They're still training," she explained. "I got a grasp of my assignment a bit quicker, so Kakashi-sensei said that I could guard you today."

"Hmm, you? Isn't that a surprise," Tazuna remarked before turning around to place the piece of timber down onto a pile with all the rest.

Sakura's teeth clenched at the brazen insult, but she held her tongue and chose not to take it personally. It seemed like Tazuna had forgotten who had guarded his ungrateful ass during their whole ordeal the other day. Deciding that it wasn't worth it, Sakura shook her head and then shifted her attention to a worker who was approaching Tazuna with his hardhat tucked under his arm.

"Hey, you got a minute, Tazuna?" the worker asked.

Tazuna turned over his shoulder, scowled, and wiped some sweat from his face with his neck towel, "What's the deal, Giichi? You know you're supposed to keep your helmet on at all times while you're on the job."

Giichi, Sakura observed, looked just about how she would expect someone from this region to look. His face seemed to be grizzled and withered by the crisp sea air, and his hair was grey beyond his actual years. He wore a towel around his neck, much like Tazuna, and kept his hair pulled back by a cloth headband. From the way that Tazuna looked at him, it was clear that they had a history.

"Uh, actually, I've been thinking a lot about the bridge recently," the worker, Giichi, mumbled. "And I've decided I've pushed my luck far enough. I want out."

Tazuna's mild irritation quickly changed to shock, "What? You're going to quit on me, just like that?!"

"Listen, Tazuna. I've stayed on this long because of our friendship. But I'm risking my life every day that I stay here. Gatō and his thugs are bound to show up eventually. And when they do, they'll kill you, and the bridge will never get finished anyway," Giichi explained. "It's a lost cause, Tazuna. Why don't we quit while we can still get out of this alive?"

A tense silence then broke out between the two men, with Sakura merely watching with wide eyes. Despite the unexpected news, Tazuna's demeanor remained firm, which seemed to unnerve Giichi a bit. It was likely that he'd expected a verbal thrashing — and in a sense, that would have probably been better than the disappointed look that Tazuna was sending his way.

"No way in hell," Tazuna replied, solemnly. "This is our bridge. Our island will continue to suffer until this bridge connects to the mainland. Commerce, trade, and hope, that's what we're working towards here. Have you forgotten?"

"There's not going to be much hope if we're all—"

Tazuna waved him off, "It's already afternoon. Let's call it a day," he said before walking past Giichi without a glance.

Looking up at the sky, Sakura confirmed that it was, in fact, afternoon. The rest of the crew began packing up their tools, and Sakura scooted off the bridge railing and moved to follow Tazuna back home. She glanced back at Giichi, who was still standing in the same place, with his hands clenched at his side.

"Tazuna!" Giichi shouted out, causing the man in question to pause and look back over his shoulder.

"Giichi, you don't have to come back to work tomorrow," Tazuna assured before continuing on his way.

The news didn't seem to be as much of a relief to Giichi as he had probably anticipated — if his demeanor was anything to go by. It was clear that he wasn't quitting because it was what he wanted. Gatō and his influence were just getting to be too much for him. It was difficult to stand up when someone stronger than you kept knocking you down.

Sakura watched the entire display with thinly-veiled concern. Was there truly no hope left in this country?

Later on, Sakura was a bit surprised when she noticed that the route Tazuna was taking home was different than what they took in the morning. Upon asking why, she was told that they needed to buy some ingredients for the dinner that Tsunami was making tonight. The thought of a home-cooked meal sounded amazing to Sakura, whose stomach nearly grumbled at the news.

When they finally made it into town, Sakura couldn't help but gape at the obvious poverty and despair. Stores were either empty or nearly closed, homeless and beggars lined the streets, and children were running around scrounging for food. It came as a sharp contrast to her memories from back home, and reminded her how lucky she was to live in the Land of Fire.

Eventually, they made it to their apparent destination, a desolate grocery store with minimal stock items. And even still, the available food appeared undersized and withered. Three measly carrots, a potato the size of a stone, a couple of radishes, and a single head of cabbage was what she saw on one shelf. There was a bit more than that, but that was all Sakura observed before realizing that there probably wasn't that much food in town at all.

'There's hardly anything here,' she thought to herself, not noticing the shady man that was approaching her from behind.

The man noticed her bag a smirked, realizing that there was likely a bounty to be taken. As he slowly reached down, Sakura felt a chill creep up her spine. She glanced over her should and saw a creepy mustached man reaching for what she assumed to be her butt. She immediately turned on a dime and kicked him square in the face, all the while openly screaming that he was a pervert.

The accusation seemed to be more hurtful than the actual kick, as the man got onto his knees and vowed that he wasn't a pervert. The store owner hardly acknowledged the ordeal and encouraged them to buy what they needed or leave. The mustached man was quick to flee, and Tazuna openly snickered as he bought what ingredients he could find.

"Can't say that guy didn't have it coming," Tazuna joked once he and Sakura were back on the street. "You sure know how to turn it on, don't you?"

Sakura was still fuming from the entire ordeal, "What the hell is wrong with this town?"

With almost comedic timing, Sakura felt a not-so-gentle hand grab her dress. Instantly assuming the worst once more, she spun around in preparation to deliver another knockout blow. However, rather than seeing a shady man, she was face to face with a small child, who looked at her in awe.

The little girl reached out with both hands, "Gimmie some, please!" she said with a wide smile.

A quick look over led Sakura to believe that the child was probably living on the streets. She and her clothes were rather dirty, and her hair was unkempt. Realizing that this was just a beggar and not a pervert, Sakura's expression softened. She reached into her bag and pulled out some candy. When she placed it in the little girl's hands, the child nearly exploded with glee.

"Thank you!" the girl exclaimed before running back into the distance.

As Sakura watched the child disappear into the crowd, she once more observed just how awful this town seemed. Everyone looked miserable, and that wasn't even counting the even less fortunate, who were begging on the side of the street.

"See how the children suffer? And the adults are too afraid to do anything," Tazuna explained, sorrowfully. "They've lost all hope. That's why we have to finish the bridge. It's a symbol of bravery for a country that otherwise has no courage left. When the bridge is finished, people will finally start to believe again. They'll finally be able to live with dignity again. That's why Gatō can't win!"

As they continued on their way home, Sakura couldn't help but think of Sayuri and Naruto. She hoped whatever they were learning was enough, because now she really knew what was at stake. Just as Tazuna needed to complete the bridge, they needed to complete their mission.

'Sayuri, Naruto,' Sakura thought. 'We have to help them.'

* * *

Sayuri's eyes shifted from crimson-red back to their ordinary onyx color. She'd been training with Kakashi all day yesterday and had spent the following morning doing drills to perfect her Sharingan's abilities. One such exercise was counting the number of leaves on a branch while moving at high-speed, which was one of the few drills that could be practiced without a partner.

She was noticing that her Sharingan was becoming more precise, for lack of a better word. It made reading hand seals even easier, and allowed her to anticipate her opponent's moves with more reliability. Sparring with Kakashi felt so different than it did during the bell test, and she was beginning to realize just how powerful of a tool her eyes actually were.

After taking a short break from her training, Sayuri re-activated her Sharingan and leaped into the forest. As she passed one tree, she observed one branch and counted all of the leaves in a split second before leaving it behind her. She did so with several other trees before she began to notice something odd. On one of the trees, she saw a strange imprint, and when she scanned the forest even further, she saw many other indentations strewn about.

Sayuri landed at the center of a small clearing, where much of the damage appeared to be concentrated. Frankly, it looked as though someone had just fought a battle, with craters all over. Her senses then alerted her to a presence. She turned around to see Naruto perched in one of the branches above her, looking smug.

"What brings you to my neck of the woods?" Naruto inquired with a grin, probably thinking that his corny joke was actually funny.

With her trademark scowl, Sayuri replied, "Did you just get into a fight or something? It looks like a war zone here."

For a brief moment, Naruto appeared to freeze up, before he visibly relaxed once more, "Just training," he assured before jumping down to land in front of her. "Speaking of which, you've gotten better since we graduated. You noticed my presence pretty easily."

"I don't make the same mistake twice," Sayuri replied, remembering how Naruto had managed to touch the back of her neck without her noticing before teams were announced. "Now, I'm always expecting you to be lurking around somewhere."

Sayuri's response seemed to amuse Naruto, if his expression was anything to go by. At this point, the sheer animosity she had been met with during their one and only spar was at the back of her mind. She was never one for talking about her feelings or hashing things out through words, and she imagined that Naruto was the same. He'd made it clear over the past few days that there were no lingering feelings of disdain or anger — but she'd be lying if she said she still wasn't curious as to why he was so pissed in the first place.

"I see. So that must mean you're always thinking about me, huh?" Naruto asked with a wink, interpreting her previous statement in the most obnoxious way possible. Sayuri opened her mouth to refute the accusation but was waved off. "I'm just kidding, relax. I feel like I've told you this a million times already, but you need to lighten up a little."

"I'd be much more relaxed if I wasn't on a team with you," Sayuri countered.

Naruto smiled, "Ouch."

The was a brief silence between the two, with neither really knowing what to say. Naruto then appeared to look something close to nervous, which was odd. He looked pretty much everywhere except for Sayuri, having apparently grown very fascinated with the surrounding forest.

At that moment, Sayuri opted to observe him silently. Both he and his clothing were scuffed from hard training, but he hardly seemed to be short on breath. His physical condition was actually really impressive. Sayuri couldn't remember a time when she saw him looking fatigued. Just as she began to analyze his face, Naruto turned to face her direction. She quickly shifted her gaze, hoping he hadn't noticed the staring.

Though he was now looking directly at her, Naruto seemed to have trouble meeting Sayuri's gaze, "Um, this wasn't where I planned on doing this — but we're both here, and we're alone, so what the hell," he said with a shrug. Sayuri began to feel uneasy. She was reminded of the dialogue from those corny romance dramas that her mother used to watch.

"Your Sharingan..." Naruto continued, and Sayuri instantly realized what this conversation was going to be about. "I'm sorry I reacted the way I did. I just didn't expect you to have eyes like that, ya know?"

At this point, Sayuri was just relieved that Naruto wasn't going to confess his undying love for her or something, "You're fine," she replied. Unsurprisingly, she wasn't used to these types of conversations and hoped that the simple assurance on her part would suffice.

Naruto smiled once more, and Sayuri noted that it looked a tad more genuine than usual. He gave a simple two-finger salute before vanishing in a flash of speed. Sayuri's eyes widened at the feat, and she realized that meant that Naruto must have at least gotten a grasp of the jutsu that Kakashi gave him. The thought made her smirk — all the more reason for her to continue to improve.

Sayuri then heard a dull thud and a groan in the distance, and her smirk nearly evolved into a small chuckle. Seemed like that Naruto still had some kinks to work out with his new jutsu. Well, at least now she knew why there were craters all over the forest.

* * *

**(That Evening)**

Back at Tazuna's house, Sakura watching in morbid fascination as Sayuri and Naruto ate more food than anyone she'd ever seen — barring maybe Chōji. Naruto ate like a ravenous beast, switching from taking a bit out of his fish, chewing on some bread, and drinking soup straight out of the bowl. Sayuri wasn't much different, yet she found a way to look dignified despite it all.

Tazuna laughed uproariously, "This is fantastic! It's been too long since we've had so many guests around our table."

Tsunami, who was washing dishes, nodded with a smile. It was clear she was flattered by the intensity in which Sayuri and Naruto inhaled her cooking.

"You know, maybe you two should slow down a bit?" Sakura recommended with a nervous chuckle. "Couldn't you possibly get sick?"

Sayuri shrugged off the suggestion, "I have to replenish my energy so I can train more," she stated simply.

"And I have to eat more than her," Naruto added after swallowing a mouthful of food. "Otherwise, she might start to think she's catching up."

Funny enough, Sayuri didn't take the bait as she would in the past, and immediately finished the last of her soup with a single gulp — all the while not breaking eye contact with Naruto. When she finished, she let out a satisfied, almost taunting, 'ahh' sound and smirked challengingly. Naruto scowled and then immediately asked for seconds — followed quickly by Sayuri.

"My, my, at this rate, you munchkins will be taller than me by the week's end," Kakashi joked with his signature eye smile. All the while, everyone at the table wondered how he managed to eat all of his food without anyone seeing him take his mask off.

The remainder of the dinner went off without a fuss, and Tsunami offered everyone a cup of tea. It was delicious, and the perfect way to cap off a long day and heavy meal. Sakura finished her tea first and took her cup to the sink to clean it. Tsunami protested, volunteering to do it herself, but Sakura insisted on helping out. While she did, she looked to her left and noticed a strange picture on the wall.

It was of Tazuna, Tsunami, and Inari. Two things were particularly strange about it. One, Inari looked happy. Glancing over her shoulder, Sakura eyed the sullen boy closely and wondered if he even remembered how to smile. And two, the top corner appeared to have been ripped off, obscuring the fourth figure in the photo — who appeared to be a man.

"Excuse me, but I couldn't help but notice that this picture is torn," Sakura spoke out — perhaps unadvisedly. "Is there some reason for that? It looks like there was someone else in the picture, but they were torn out."

Her inquiry was initially met with an awkward silence, and Team 7 immediately picked up on the fact that something wasn't right. Inari slumped further into his chair, with his bucket hat now shadowing his eyes. Tazuna eyed the young boy warily, and Tsunami paused what she was doing before eventually continuing.

"It's my husband," Tsunami explained despondently.

Tazuna leaned forward with a furrowed brow, "They used to call him a hero in this land."

Without a word, Inari silently pushed out of his chair and left the table. Up to this point, Team 7 had already gotten the vibe that he was a bit of a brat, but this felt different than an ordinary tantrum.

"Inari, where are you going?" Tsunami called out with concern. She followed her son up the stairs, but not before turning back towards her father with a glare. "Father, you can't talk about him in front of Inari. You know that!"

The silence that followed the exchange was even more awkward than then first. Tazuna appeared more dejected than upset, and it was clear that this wasn't the first time something like this had happened.

Understandably, Sakura felt a bit guilty, "I'm sorry I said anything," she said. Still, Tazuna assured her that it was okay. With that, she felt safe to inquire further. "What happened to Inari?"

Tazuna continued to stare down into his cup of tea, "He wasn't the boy's actual father," he revealed. "He was a fisherman from another country that was seeking opportunity. It was only later that we were lucky enough to have him join our family. He and Inari were very close."

"Back in those days, Inari was such a happy kid," Tazuna continued with a rueful smile. He was then, however, overtaken by tears. "But all that ended. He never laughs or smiles anymore...not since Kaiza died."

"Tell us what happened," Kakashi requested calmly.

Tazuna removed his glasses and wiped away his tears, "It was Kaiza who taught this island what courage was," he explained. "About three years ago, Inari was being bullied, and his dog was thrown into the sea. The boy had always been terrified of the water, but eventually, he jumped in to rescue it. He would have drowned if Kaiza hadn't saved him."

Sakura was overtaken by sorrow. Children could be so cruel to each other. It made her remember the days when she used to be taunted for having a broad forehead.

"It was almost fitting that our hero would turn out to be a simple fisherman. It showed the people that anyone could be a hero," Tazuna said. "After that day, Inari and Kaiza became inseparable. Since the boy had never known his real father, you can only imagine what that bond meant to him. He looked up to him and followed in his footsteps, like a real father and son."

The corners of Naruto's lips twitched downward for a brief moment, a reaction that was only noticed by the ever-perceptive Sayuri.

Tazuna continued, "But it was when the town needed him that he became something more," he said. "The flood gates were opened by a storm, and the water was rising rapidly. The locals called to Kaiza for aid, since the entire lower district was at risk of being swept away. Against all the odds, Kaiza swam against the heavy currents and secured a rope on the gates so they could be pulled closed. And from that day on, Kaiza was considered a hero in this land."

There was a creeping dread around the table, as even though Team 7 didn't know how the story was going to end, they were confident that it wasn't a happy conclusion.

"But it wasn't long until Gatō showed up and took over," Tazuna said, spitting the shipping tycoon's name with venom. "He terrorized the village, and only Kaiza stood up to him. For his trouble, Gatō had him captured and beaten. Kaiza's arms were cut off in a mockery of his motto to 'protect what you love with both arms', and he was publicly executed soon after. And Inari saw the whole thing."

Sakura placed a hand over her mouth in horror, Kakashi's lone eye narrowed in disgust, Sayuri's frown looked a bit deeper than usual, and Naruto glared at the photo on the wall. Such a terrible way to die, and for that to happen to such a fantastic person. And what made it worse was the fact that Inari had to bear witness to the death of his hero.

"Since then, Inari has changed. So did Tsunami — and all of our people," Tazuna concluded. "We lost our will. And Inari doesn't believe in heroes anymore."

Sayuri knew better than anyone how far people's cruelty could go, and one could argue that she had already seen the worst of what the world had to offer. And yet, even she found herself despising this Gatō bastard. Only Kakashi seemed unfazed by the story, but it was still evident that he was less than thrilled with what he'd heard. At this point, if there was any doubt that they needed to be here in this country, it had now vanished entirely.

Without any warning, Naruto pushed out of his seat, earning looks from everyone around the table. He rotated his shoulders, as if to stretch his sore muscles, and made way for the front door. Seeing as it was so late at night, everyone was justifiably confused. Kakashi asked where he was going, but initially, received no answer. Before leaving the house, Naruto looked over his shoulder. Sayuri's eyes widened when she saw Naruto's expression as serious as she had ever seen it before.

"I'll prove to him that heroes still exist."

Everyone watched in silence as he left.

* * *

**~End~**

* * *

**Thank you all for reading, and sorry for the long wait. I hope that you all are safe and doing well. This chapter came out at around close to 10,000+ words, and I'm pretty pleased with that. The next chapter will probably be much longer, and will definitely pack a lot more action. It will also be the end of this arc.**

**I usually like to have each of my chapters have a self-contained story, but it's harder to do that when it comes to big arcs like the Land of Waves, Chunin Exams, etc. Therefore, not all of my chapters can be like Chapter 3 (The Konohamaru Chapter) which had a beginning, climax, and end, all in the same chapter. Expect more chapters like that sprinkled in between the big arcs though. It's a good way for me to shine more light on these characters and make them feel real.**

**Anyway, thanks again for reading!**


	6. To Protect Something Precious

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. All characters in this story, excluding those that are created by me, are the intellectual property of Masashi Kishimoto. Please show support by reading or watching the original source material.**

* * *

**~Confronting the Shadow: Chapter Six~**

* * *

" **To Protect Something Precious"**

Sayuri observed the empty chair at the table and frowned. Naruto hadn't returned since leaving to train alone the previous evening, and everyone was starting to get worried — well, everyone besides Kakashi — who appeared just as laidback as ever. Particularly, Tsunami found it difficult to conceal her anxiety, which Sayuri attributed to the fact that she was the only mother in the room.

"Are you sure he's safe out there by himself, sir?" Tsunami asked Kakashi, reiterating her earlier worries.

Kakashi waved her off, "Naruto might be young, but he's also a full-fledged shinobi. He can handle himself just fine."

For the most part, Sayuri was pretty unconvinced. She recalled how skilled those fake hunter-nin appeared following the fight with Zabuza, and she was unsure if Naruto would be able to handle himself against them in the event of an ambush. Shinobi never fought fair, so if Naruto spent the night alone in the woods, he could have easily been killed in his sleep.

Having never been a fan of uncertainty, Sayuri pushed out of her chair and put on her sandals. She received an odd look from Sakura, who was still working on finishing her breakfast. Kakashi, on the other hand, continued reading from his crummy book as if nothing had changed. Though Sayuri was confident that he was paying close attention. Kakashi had a talent for appearing disinterested even when he wasn't.

"Where're you going, Sayuri?" Sakura asked, concerned at the possibility of both of her teammates winding up lost in hostile territory. "We just sat down for breakfast."

Sayuri briefly glanced over her should before opening the door, "I'm going for a walk," she explained, tersely, before leaving without another word.

Sakura frowned before her expression quickly shifted into awe when she saw Sayuri's bowl was already completely empty.

'I wish I could eat as much as I want and not have to worry about my figure,' Sakura mentally groaned.

* * *

Naruto slept in the center of a clearing, with morning dew dampening his hair and clothes. Nevertheless, he managed to sleep through the wetness — likely due to extreme fatigue. He also didn't notice the figure observing him from a distance.

Haku watching Naruto as he slept, surprised that he'd even encountered the boy at all. He'd left Gatō's compound early in the morning to search for herbs, making sure to dress in a manner that would make him unrecognizable. He wore his long hair loosely, with a pink, sleeveless kimono with pale red edges and decorated with small plum-colored swirls. Around his waist was a simple white obi tied in a bow, and he wore a pair of light brown sandals with dark straps. Haku had regularly employed this strategy since his youth, using his feminine features to disguise himself as a girl.

Nobody ever suspected the pretty girl.

While pondering over Naruto's unique features, he wondered what the strange markings on the boy's face represented. Were they genetic, symbolic, or merely a stylistic preference? Either way, Haku imagined that it made it pretty easy to recognize him in a crowd — that, along with his striking blond hair. He had a strange aura about him as well that Haku couldn't quite identify. Maybe it was his chakra, or perhaps something else?

Regardless, Haku recognized him as a threat. Zabuza had only said that Kakashi was off-limits, which meant that Haku could put a dent in their enemy's fighting power by killing Naruto there and now. His expression darkened, and he took slow, purposeful steps toward his vulnerable foe. When Haku finally stood at the Naruto's side, he crouched down and hovered his hand over the boy's throat. It would perhaps be the easiest kill he'd ever make and would no doubt please his master.

_The Uzumaki clan are supposed to be all gone. We helped exterminate them around thirty years ago._

Haku recalled Mangetsu's words. He might have been looking at someone who was the last of a once-great clan. It prompted Haku to think about his own family, the Yuki. The Yuki bloodline was passed down to him through his mother, who concealed her identity and married an unassuming peasant. However, as a child, Haku began to manifest strange abilities, and when his father found out, he murdered his mother and tried to kill him as well.

"Wake up," Haku called out, opting to shake Naruto's shoulder instead of wringing his neck. "You'll get sick if you sleep outside."

Naruto's eyes snapped open, and he appeared shocked to be face-to-face with a beautiful young woman. Haku found his reaction amusing. It was always funny to see how boys looked at him — almost as funny as when they found out that he wasn't a girl at all. Naruto then sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"What are you doing out here, lady?" Naruto asked, apparently not viewing Haku as any kind of threat — meaning that his attire had worked.

Haku smiled pleasantly, "I'm collecting herbs," he explained. "Would you like to help? I can tell you what to look for."

Initially, Naruto appeared skeptical, before ultimately agreeing, "Sure, I guess."

The next few minutes passed in silence as Haku pointed out the herbs he was looking for, and the two boys made quick progress. At first, Naruto had difficulty finding the correct herbs, and Haku had to discard quite a few. But, eventually, Naruto got the hang of it, and Haku found his morning chore being completed twice as fast as he'd initially predicted it would.

"You're a shinobi, right?" Haku suddenly asked while they were both crouched over the grass. "I can tell from your headband."

Naruto nodded without looking away from his task, "Yeah. That's why I'm out here. I'm training."

A soft chuckle escaped from Haku's lips, "It looked to me like you were sleeping."

"Well, yeah — but only because I trained so hard!" Naruto replied, looking a bit sheepish. "I honestly didn't plan on sleeping at all."

So, the boy had spent the night in the woods training? Haku couldn't help but be reminded of Mangetsu's younger brother, Suigetsu, who used to travel with them. He'd often sneak away with Zabuza's Executioner's Blade and practice while everyone was sleeping. The following morning, Zabuza would always find out one way or another and tan Suigetsu's hide. Those were rare, pleasant times.

"Are you training for anything in particular? Something dangerous?" Haku inquired, trying not to seem suspicious.

Naruto shrugged, "Not really. I'm just trying to become as strong as possible, ya know?"

Haku took a mental note that Naruto was at least skilled enough not to reveal sensitive information to a stranger. He'd half expected to hear all about the boy's extraordinary mission to save the local bridge builder from bloodthirsty assassins but was almost pleased when that wasn't the case. It made Naruto seem less like a child and more like a real shinobi, making what would come later a bit easier.

"Hmm, you seem pretty strong already," Haku observed. "Isn't that enough?"

For his trouble, Haku received a perplexed look, "What do you mean?" Naruto asked, as if he'd just heard the craziest thing ever. "Of course it's not enough — it's never enough."

Haku held out his hands in a placating manner, "I see. I'm not a shinobi, so I guess I find it difficult to understand," he explained before the two continued searching for herbs. After a while, Haku decided to ask another, much more important question. "Why is becoming strong so important to you?"

For Haku, knowing one's purpose was the most crucial achievement a person could make. Without purpose, there was only misery. Haku knew this to be the case because he'd experienced life both with and without a purpose and was able to recognize the suffering that came without a reason to live. However, not every purpose was created equal — at least not in Haku's eyes.

"You probably wouldn't understand, even if I tried to explain it to you," Naruto revealed, appearing reluctant to confide in Haku. "No offense."

For whatever reason, Haku had a strange desire to understand Naruto's motivations. Perhaps it was to see just how similar they actually were to each other? The parallels were pretty obvious, though, at the moment, only Haku was aware of them.

"Do you have someone precious to you in your life?" Haku continued, not discouraged by Naruto's apprehension. "When a person has something precious that they want to protect, then they become truly strong. That's what I believe, at least."

Naruto frowned, before grabbing a handful of grass and tearing it out of the ground, "Well, I don't have anything like that," he muttered. "And that's exactly why I have to train so hard — if you must know."

Haku's head tilted in confusion, "So you're training to protect nothing?"

For a split second, Haku swore that he saw red flash in Naruto's eyes; however, it was so brief that he chalked it up to a trick of the light. Regardless, it was clear that his question struck a nerve — which was honestly what he had been intending. The best way to get someone to open up was to get them emotional.

"I'm TRAINING to go after the person who took everything from me," Naruto snapped, causing Haku to recoil slightly. "You want to know why I don't have anyone precious in my life? It's because someone killed them all before I even had the chance to know them."

There was a thick silence in the clearing. Both Naruto and Haku stopped picking herbs, with the former of the two staring at his lap with clenched fists. Frankly, this was not how Haku had expected this conversation to go. Despite his circumstances, Naruto looked like an ordinary, well-adjusted kid, so it was actually rather shocking that he had such a difficult upbringing considering where he grew up.

"I'm sorry," Haku replied, simply — and genuinely.

Naruto's shoulders sagged, and he let out a weary sigh.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it," Naruto reassured after regaining his composure. He then ran his fingers through his hair. "I shouldn't have even said anything anyway."

Haku nodded empathetically, "It's understandable to be angry," he said before looking Naruto in the eyes. "But you should never let the pain of your past keep you from creating a better future for yourself. Because if you do, then the person that took everything from you will win."

Naruto watched in stunned silence as Haku grabbed his basket of herbs and rose to his feet, "One day, you'll understand what I mean," Haku continued before turning to leave. "And when you do, you'll learn what true strength is."

Before leaving the clearing, Haku stopped in his tracks, "Oh, and by the way…I'm a boy." he revealed before vanishing into the forest.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Eh?! A boy?!"

Hiding in the distance, Sayuri observed the entire interaction with wide eyes.

* * *

Sayuri stared down at the grass in silence. While she hadn't intended to eavesdrop on Naruto's conversation, she'd heard everything regardless. It didn't take a genius to connect all of the dots. First, Naruto, for the most part, was a loner just like her — though, as for whether that was his choice or not, Sayuri wasn't really sure. Second, he dedicated himself to training to an almost hellacious and obsessive degree. Third, he concealed a dark past, the particulars of which served as his motivation. And finally, fourth, he had a single person to blame for his suffering and wanted revenge.

When Sayuri thought about it that way, she and Naruto were basically the same person — and she didn't know whether that was a good thing or not.

Ever since her clan's massacre, Sayuri had never considered the possibility of being able to relate to someone — especially not someone from her peer group. How many people in her graduating class could claim that everyone important in their life was eradicated by one guy? Well, the answer was two, apparently — her and Naruto.

When Sayuri finally made her presence known and entered the clearing, Naruto was still picking his jaw off of the ground after the revelation of the herbalist's gender. Admittedly, Sayuri was rather shocked by it too, and on any other day, it would have floored her as well. Yet, it was Naruto's confession that surprised her the most.

"Oh, it's you," Naruto greeted once he noticed Sayuri's arrival. He then inexplicably scrutinized her with a furrowed brow. "Don't tell me that you're secretly a guy too."

The sound of Sayuri's fist cracking Naruto's skull and the subsequent squeal of pain echoed throughout the woods, causing the wildlife to scatter away in fear. Naruto grabbed the top of his head and crumpled to the ground like a wounded child.

Naruto groaned in pain, "Yeah, the best way to assert your femininity is to punch someone in the head. Makes sense to me. Got it."

"Do you want me to hit you again?"

Apparently deciding against irritating Sayuri any further, Naruto kept quiet, opting to stand to his feet and rub his achy head. Sayuri knew he'd be fine. His head was hard as stone — and there probably wasn't a brain inside of his skull either, so there was nothing to worry about there. In fact, she would be willing to wagered that was the case with all boys. It would at least explain why they were all such morons.

"You shouldn't be out by yourself," Sayuri scolded with crossed arms. "What if one of Zabuza's allies found you sleeping out here?"

Naruto placed his hands behind his head and grinned, "I'm glad to know that you were so worried about me," he said, causing Sayuri to scowl. "Did you come out here just to see how I was doing?"

Sayuri averted her gaze, a bit embarrassed by the implication that she was concerned for his wellbeing. She came here to make sure he wasn't getting into any trouble that she'd have to clean up later! It was also the only way to get Tsunami and the others to stop worrying. That's why Sayuri did it — not because she actually cared about Naruto or anything.

"Did you make any progress, at least? Or are you still crashing all over the forest?" Sayuri asked, changing the subject.

The smug look on Naruto's face, along with the lack of any visible damage in the clearing, told her everything she needed to know. As if on cue, Naruto vanished in a flash of speed much like he did the previous evening, but this time he landed deftly on one of the nearby tree branches instead of falling on his ass, as Sayuri partly expected he would. It would seem that he'd finally mastered the body-flicker jutsu.

"And you?" Naruto asked. "Anything worth presenting to Naruto-sensei?"

Sayuri activated her Sharingan, revealing two tomoe in her right eye and one in her left. She'd managed to unlock another tomoe during her training with Kakashi. During their spars over the past few days, Sayuri was able to memorize Kakashi's movements and tendencies with fantastic precision, allowing for her to anticipate his moves and have a better chance at predicting what he was going to do. She still wasn't able to win, but she got closer and closer each time.

"The kind of progress I've made can only be shown one way," Sayuri explained. "If you're willing."

Naruto grinned and jumped down from his place at the top of the tree, "As if I'd ever say no to that."

The duo stood face-to-face at the center of the clearing. Sayuri almost expected a strong gust of wind to rustle their clothes and hair like in the movies, but for the most part, everything was still. Naruto inspected Sayuri with an appraising stare — a gesture which she reciprocated. His clothing was scuffed up — as usual — and for the most part, he looked to be in good physical condition — again, as usual. Good. There wouldn't be any excuses from either side.

Before the battle began, Naruto raised his right hand in front of his face and, in an unexpected display, made the seal of confrontation. It was a part of traditional shinobi sparring and represented one half of a seal that might be used to activate a ninjutsu, and essentially meant "I've come to face you in battle". It was a sign of respect between two worthy opponents. It made Sayuri think back to her Academy days when the seals of confrontation and reconciliation were required, but nobody actually ever meant it when they did. Children had little time for respect.

Sayuri was honestly surprised that Naruto even cared about the tradition in the first place. Frankly, he didn't seem like a very formal guy at all, and the last word that came to her mind when thinking about him was "respectful." And yet, here he was, displaying regard for her skills as a shinobi — and perhaps as a person too? It was a stark contrast to the cocky jerk she'd met only recently. Without any hesitation on her part, Sayuri reciprocated the gesture and made the seal of confrontation as well.

The two genin then burst toward each other in a blur of speed, beginning a series of matches that would go on well into the night.

* * *

From the shade of the forest, Kakashi secretly observed the beginning of the spar before turning back to return to Tazuna's house. He'd just wanted to confirm that his students were safe, so he'd sent a clone to check on them. Now that they were together, he was confident enough to leave them to their own devices.

Kakashi dispelled his shadow clone to the sounds of combat, and the transference of memories brought a smirk to the face of the original as he sat in Tazuna's house. It seemed that his two problem students were finally starting to get along.

* * *

**(That Evening)**

"Are you sure they're alright, sensei?" Sakura inquired, now more than just a little worried since she hadn't seen Sayuri since the morning and Naruto since the night before.

Kakashi shrugged off her concerns, "I sent a clone to check on them. They're fine."

Everyone was seated at the dinner table, aside from Naruto and Sayuri. As stubborn as they were, it was difficult to imagine that they would miss a meal, hence Sakura's worry. Tsunami had prepared another excellent dinner, and Sakura was amazed at the delicious food that she could cook with the limit of ingredients that she had available. Naruto and Sayuri sure were missing out.

"Yeah, but sensei, that was this morning. We should go check on them."

The front door suddenly opened, revealing Sayuri and Naruto both leaning on each other for support. They looked exhausted, but they seemed to have had a great time judging by the smiles on their faces. Sakura released a sigh of relief, and Kakashi merely nodded smugly, with an expression that practically dripped with "I told you so," — earning a comical glower from Sakura.

Both Naruto and Sayuri were covered in dirt, soot, and bruises. It was clear to everyone that the only thing keeping them both on their feet was the fact that they were supporting each other's weight. If not for the fact that they looked so pleased with themselves, Sakura would have assumed that they were attacked or something.

Kakashi smiled at his two students knowingly, "So, who won?"

"Me/Me," Naruto and Sayuri both replied simultaneously before scowling at each other.

Naruto and Sayuri looked as though they were about to argue, but before they could even get started, their legs wobbled out from under them, and they fell onto their butts. Tazuna openly laughed at the little mishap before immediately looking the other way and innocently whistling when he received glares from Naruto and Sayuri in return.

"I think we'll just say that it was a tie," Kakashi concluded.

Tsunami giggled at the display, "You're just in time for dinner. Have a seat."

Not needing to be asked twice, Naruto and Sayuri quickly took their seats and started filling their plates. In particular, Naruto was practically drooling from the mouth, which made sense since he hadn't eaten anything at all since the previous evening. Sakura once more watched in awe at the amount of food that her teammates could eat — especially for a girl like Sayuri. She'd definitely need to tell Ino about Sayuri's legendary metabolism when she returned to the village so someone could share in her jealousy.

The dinner went on splendidly, with Tazuna telling grand (and likely exaggerated) stories, that nevertheless managed to elicit smiles from everyone at the table — barring, of course, Sayuri and Inari. After a while, everyone finished their food, with Naruto and Sayuri clearing four whole plates before there was no longer any food to be had. Tsunami spent most of the meal watching Naruto and Sayuri guzzle her cooking with practical hearts in her eyes as she basked in the non-verbal appreciation.

"In a few more days, the bridge will finally be finished," Tazuna announced while Tsunami collected everyone's plates. "I have you all to thank for that."

Tsunami expressed her appreciation as well, telling Team 7 how well they'd done since arriving in the Land of Waves. Still, she seemed worried despite the end of their battle being in sight and urged them to remain cautious. Reminded by the danger, Tazuna's jovial expression shifted into one of seriousness.

"I've been meaning to ask you this, but I haven't really had the chance until now," Tazuna spoke up, speaking mostly to Kakashi. "Why did you stay and protect me, even after you found out that I lied to bring you here?"

Kakashi seemed to ponder his words before speaking, "Those who stray from the path of justice have no courage, but under the wing of a strong leader, cowardice cannot survive."

Both Tazuna and Tsunami seemed at a loss for what he meant, but it was clear from the way Kakashi spoke that he was quoting someone.

"That was a quote from the Fourth Hokage," Kakashi elaborated. "He was a great man who sacrificed his own life to save those who couldn't protect themselves. I suppose that by helping you, we're trying to carry on his will."

For the first time since dinner started, Inari offered some form of a visible reaction — which came by way of a scoff. Naruto, who had been laying his head down on the table, squinted up at Inari and frowned. He just knew the kid was about to say something that would piss him off, so he braced himself.

"You're all just wasting your time," Inari exclaimed, sounding exasperated. Tears began to stream down his face as he thought about the death of Kaiza. "All heroes end up dying for nothing in the end. What's the point in dying to save people who are eventually going to die one day anyway? Your Fourth Hokage guy is lucky that he went out thinking that his sacrifice actually mattered. Most people don't even get that chance."

Sakura and Sayuri frowned at the blatant disrespect of their village's greatest hero. While the Academy taught them that the First and Second Hokage created the village, and the Third helped maintain and transition it into a new era, the Fourth Hokage was the most revered by the current generation of shinobi. Many were old enough to remember the Nine Tails attack, and since it was fresh in their minds, the Fourth Hokage was the most beloved Hokage of all.

Naruto looked down at Inari in rage-filled disgust, "You're such a coward. You make me sick to my stomach," he growled before pushing out of his chair and going upstairs before he said anything that would get him into trouble.

Inari was rendered a sobbing mess, though it was unclear whether it was because of Naruto's words or the sorrow that he still felt at the death of Kaiza. Kakashi watched Naruto leave with a knowing look, Sakura looked on in confusion, and Sayuri's mind began racing. Sayuri realized that there was still more to Naruto than met the eye, even after what she'd already learned today.

* * *

Inari sat at the edge of the dock outside with his knees pulled into his chest, and a forlorn look on his face. Occasionally, he would look down at the framed picture that he was holding in his lap. It was the corner that had been torn off from the photo in the kitchen — the part that had his father, Kaiza, on it. Just looking at the picture brought him to tears, so he could only look at it briefly before forcing himself to avert his gaze.

Naruto's words had dealt Inari great pain, but not because he told him something that didn't already know. Inari knew that he was a coward and that his father would probably be disappointed in him were he still alive. But that was the point! His father wasn't alive — and all because he was a "hero." If his father had been a normal man, he'd still be alive today. A naïve person like Naruto would never be able to understand that.

"Is it okay if I sit with you?" A voice suddenly spoke up from behind Inari, thoroughly spooking him. He looked over his shoulder to see the leader of the shinobi team, Kakashi.

Despite hearing the request, Inari said nothing and returned to looking at the ocean. Yet, he didn't say no, either. Kakashi sat down at his side, and for a while, nobody said anything. Inari had no intention of saying the first word, but he was almost sure that Kakashi would undoubtedly speak up at some point. For what other reason would have come out here, if not to talk?

Kakashi gazed at the water as well and did not look at Inari, even as he finally spoke, "Listen, I know Naruto can be a bit harsh with his words," Kakashi explained. "But despite how it sounded, I'm sure that he doesn't hate you."

Inari found that difficult to believe. The look he saw in Naruto's eyes at the dinner table was terrifying. It was an expression that usually proceeded violence, at least in his experience.

"Your grandfather told us about what happened to your father," Kakashi revealed, which was of no surprise to Inari. "You may not be able to tell, but Naruto grew up without a father too — or any parents for that matter. They died not long after he was born, protecting the village from a great evil. They died as heroes."

Inari looked down at his father's picture, and a familiar sensation washed over him as Kakashi spoke. Tales of heroes dying to protect what was precious to them — he'd heard them hundreds of times. Whether they be exaggerations from his grandfather or memories of his father, Inari knew heroes all too well. He also knew how their stories always ended.

"I know Naruto a lot better than he would think, and as far as I know, he didn't have a single friend while growing up in our village," Kakashi disclosed, causing Inari's eyes to widen in surprise. "Still, even though he's had to endure so much pain all on his own, I've never once seen him cry, sulk or give up. He's brave and always eager to jump right into action. He wants to be a strong shinobi that can surpass even the Fourth Hokage — that's his dream. And he's willing to do anything to make that dream a reality — even if it means putting his life on the line."

Kakashi chuckled softly, "My guess would be that he just got tired of crying and decided to do something about it," he said as Inari continued to watch him in awe before an image of his father flashed in his mind. "Even though he's still only just a kid, he knows what it means to be strong — just like your father did."

"I think he knows better than any of us what you're going through," Kakashi proposed. Inari sat in silence, having already reached the same conclusion on his own. Kakashi then turned to face him. "What Naruto told you earlier — as cruel as it sounded — he's probably told himself that a thousand times."

Inari looked on in awe.

* * *

Sayuri awoke in the guest room to find that Naruto's futon was empty for the second straight night. She then noticed that one of the room's windows was cracked open, and it didn't take a genius to figure out where he was. Making sure to keep quiet and not wake up Sakura or Kakashi, Sayuri tiptoed to the window and slowly pushed it open. Once she did, she climbed to the outside wall and closed the window, making sure that it was cracked open so she wouldn't get locked out.

With an impressive show of acrobatics, Sayuri leaped off of the wall and landed on the roof in complete silence. It was there that she found Naruto, sitting with his legs hanging off of the edge while he looked up at the moon. Sayuri was sure that he'd noticed her presence, but he didn't turn around or say anything.

"Do you have something against sleeping indoors?" Sayuri muttered.

Naruto shrugged, "I guess I don't rely on comfort as much as you."

A drop of sweat dripped down the side of Sayuri's head. Jeez, everything was a competition with this guy. Opting not to respond, she sat down at his side and followed his line of sight. The moon was full, and bright enough to where all of the surrounding coastline was illuminated. It was actually incredibly beautiful, and their vantage point was the perfect place to soak it all in. She'd have to give Naruto credit; he knew how to choose 'em.

"I never get any sleep when the moon's out like this," Naruto confessed out of nowhere. "Don't ask why though, cuz even I don't know."

Sayuri inspected Naruto from the corner of her eye, "Does it make you piss the bed or something?"

The not so subtle jab managed to elicit a chuckle from Naruto, who looked at Sayuri with an expression that basically said "touché." He then looked back at the sky, "You're getting better at banter, ya know?" he said, in what was probably the closest thing to a compliment that she would ever get from him. Still, there was a sense of pride to be felt by being complimented by the King of Banter himself.

"Thanks to you," Sayuri replied before her brow furrowed. "Why are you such a bastard anyway?"

Her inquiry brought a slight frown to Naruto's face, "People have always acted weird around me, and I got sick of trying to be nice," he explained. "For the longest time, I wondered why they looked at me the way that they did — and not knowing was actually worse than the looks themselves. I guess by getting under people's skins, I was trying to create a reason for the looks. Instead of not knowing, I could pretend that people didn't like me because of something I said or did. At least, that's how it was in the beginning."

Naruto's explanation reminded Sayuri of her own experiences. Ever since her clan was murdered, everyone looked at her as if she was the walking dead. Even people that tried interacting with her did so as if they were walking on eggshells. Sayuri supposed that was another thing she and Naruto had in common. They were never given a chance to be normal.

"And then what happened?" Sayuri asked, causing Naruto to tilt his head in confusion. "You said that was how it was in the beginning," she clarified. "So, what changed?"

For a moment, Naruto seemed to ponder her words — or, at the very least, considered how he would respond, "I guess you could say that I finally found out why people treated me so differently," he said. "But by that point, I was already stuck in my ways, and I'd given up on trying to make friends long before that. I had more important things to do, anyway."

Sayuri had questions that she wanted to ask, but she decided to hold her tongue in the end. The most obvious one was why people didn't like him in the first place. She also wondered if whatever it was had something to do with her clan. It would explain why he reacted so poorly when he first saw her Sharingan. And with what she overheard him say in the clearing, she was beginning to wonder if someone with the same eyes as she was responsible for his suffering. A specific person came to mind.

Her brother. Itachi Uchiha.

The two sat in silence for what seemed like ages. Naruto looked as if he had gotten a lot off his chest, and Sayuri appeared as if she was struggling to find the courage to do the same. After accidentally hearing Naruto's confession in the forest, she almost felt as if she owed him something in return. Sayuri knew Naruto's secret and what motivated him, but he still didn't know anything about her.

"Do you know what happened to my clan?" Sayuri suddenly asked, ending the silence between them. The knowing look on Naruto's face told her that he did. "It was someone from my clan who did it, and he's still out there. He's the one that I have to kill."

Naruto stared at Sayuri intensely, "Is he strong?"

Sayuri simply nodded, feeling as there weren't enough words to explain just how powerful her brother actually was. No doubt, he'd improved since they last met as well, which meant that even if she reached the same level of strength that he possessed on that night, there was no guarantee that she'd be able to defeat him. From what she could gather, Itachi was much stronger than Kakashi or Zabuza, and she was practically a spectator during their fight. Hell, Sayuri wasn't even sure if she would be able to beat those fake hunter-nin.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find a way — stubborn as you are," Naruto said with a smirk. "In a way, I pity what this guy has coming to him. You're bad enough as a teammate. I can't picture what you'd be like as an enemy."

At this point, Sayuri couldn't help it as a smile broke out over her face — the first of its type in quite a while. Naruto appeared almost proud at managing to make her smile, and even the embarrassment of the moment couldn't shake the look off of Sayuri's face. Sure, Naruto didn't know her brother or how insurmountable the prospect of defeating him actually was, but the fact that he was so certain that she'd manage to take him out was endearing. Naruto didn't even need to ask; he was just that confident in her tenacity.

The bit about her being a bad teammate wasn't lost on her, but Sayuri chose to ignore it. With Naruto, she would take what she could get.

* * *

**(The Following Morning)**

"Were you guys up late last night, or was I just imagining things?" Sakura asked her team as they escorted Tazuna back to the bridge for another day of work.

Both Naruto and Sayuri pretended as though they had no idea what she was talking about, but the slight glint in Kakashi's eye indicated that he was fully aware of what happened. Of course, he knew. At this point, Sayuri wasn't surprised by anything when it came to Kakashi. It was like he always knew what they were doing, even when it looked like he didn't. While sleeping, he was probably more attentive than an average person was when they were awake — if he was actually even asleep at all.

Abruptly, Naruto stopped in his tracks as his eyes caught something weird in the distance. The rest of Team 7 carried on without him, not noticing that he was trailing behind. As he continued to focus on the anomaly, his eyes widened. It was a dead boar that looked as though it had been sliced multiple times with a blade. No animal could have done that.

"Naruto!" Sakura called out in the distance, having apparently noticed his absence. "Are you coming?"

Realizing he had lagged behind, Naruto turned to see his teammates looking at him expectantly. In particular, Tazuna was glancing at his watch and tapping his foot impatiently. Every second of the workday not spent on the bridge was a second wasted in his eyes. However, Kakashi looked at Naruto knowingly, apparently trusting his student's instincts in thinking that something was wrong.

"You guys go on without me; I need to check up on something back at the house," Naruto called out before vanishing in a body flicker.

Seeing her teammate vanish right before her eyes made Sakura sigh. Jeez, Naruto really couldn't stay in one place for more than ten minutes, could he? It was like he was begging to be struck down while he was all alone. That new jutsu he learned made it even more difficult, too, seeing as he could now disappear whenever he wanted. Such a pain!

Kakashi shrugged the strange display off, "Well, no need for us to wait. Naruto knows the way to the bridge, so he can meet us later," he said before leading them back down the path.

Sayuri frowned as they continued on their trip. She hated being out of the loop, and she was also smart enough to know that Naruto wasn't going back to the house for some arbitrary reason. Still, after spending so much time sparring with him, she realized that it would take nothing short of Zabuza or one of the fake hunter-nin to take him down — especially with his new body flicker jutsu. And they had Zabuza's target currently in their company, so if anyone was at risk of being attacked, it was them, not Naruto.

When Team 7 and Tazuna finally arrived at the bridge, Sayuri sighed when she realized that her assessment at been correct. Bodies were strewn about the bridge — all workers who looked to have been incapacitated. The lack of any blood indicated that they were still alive, which was later confirmed as someone of them twitched while unconscious.

"What the hell is going on!" Tazuna shouted out in horror before swiveling his head around. "Whoever did this could still be here!"

The area was then shrouded in a thick mist, essentially identifying who it was that they were dealing with. Kakashi barked an order, and the remainder of Team 7 formed a protective formation around Tazuna, who gulped at the feeling of déjà vu. He was going to have to relive the same horror he'd already experienced, not even a week ago!

Despite having come far in her training during the last week, Sakura felt her kunai trembling in her hands. Dammit! She wished that Naruto was here! Without him, they wouldn't have a chance.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kakashi," Zabuza's voice echoed through the mist, not at all indicating where he could be hiding — just like last time. "And I see you brought your kids again. I hope you don't mind that I did too. They can have a play date together while you and I chat. Sound good?"

Kakashi hummed, apparently pondering the offer, "I'm not sure, Zabuza. I don't know if I'm comfortable letting yours anywhere near mine. They might rub off on them in the wrong way."

Zabuza's icy laugh echoed through the mist, sending shivers up Sakura and Tazuna's spines.

"I'm afraid that's the least of their worries, Kakashi."

Suddenly, Team 7 found themselves surrounded by ten clones of Zabuza, each brandishing the same massive blade. Kakashi glanced toward Sayuri and gave her a look, which prompted Sayuri to smirk and tremble with excitement. Having been given the go-ahead by her leader, Sayuri channeled chakra through her legs to augment her speed and jumped into action. Before any of the clones could react, they each received fatal kunai slashes and vanished in puddles of water.

Once that initial attack had failed, the enemy finally made themselves known. They first appeared as silhouettes, but eventually revealed themselves to be Zabuza and the fake hunter-nin — the former of which looked fully recuperated and the latter still wearing their masks. Seeing them made Sayuri scowl in disdain. Who did they think they were fooling with these phony disguises?

"Well, well. Looks like this one finally grew a spine," Zabuza remarked after giving Sayuri a look over before glancing at his two comrades. "Doesn't that type of development just warm your hearts? It looks like you two may have a rival on your hands."

Mangetsu scoffed behind his mask, and Haku merely nodded in agreement, "It appears so," Haku admitted. "She looks very good. But one of them seems to be missing."

"Oh, yeah," Zabuza recognized, not seeing the blond brat from before anywhere around, "That reminds me, Kakashi. Where do you find such interesting brats? To have an Uzumaki AND an Uchiha on your team. The Hidden Leaf Village is starting to seem like the land of misfit toys."

Sayuri and Sakura appeared shocked at the declaration, which indicated that Naruto's surname apparently had some kind of significance — at the very least was comparable to Sayuri's, who was born into a great clan.

Kakashi brushed off the question, "We may or may not have some interesting trinkets in our toybox," he retorted. "But we don't like sharing, so don't even ask."

Having had enough with the immature bickering, Sayuri took an aggressive step forward, holding a kunai in each hand with a reverse grip. As if accepting an invitation to dance, Haku took a step forward as well. The two teens were eventually facing each other in the middle of the bridge, with their comrades watching them closely from each side.

"I admire your skills and bravery," Haku complimented. The look he received back from Sayuri indicated that he almost definitely wouldn't be receiving one back. "But you made a mistake earlier."

Sayuri's eyes narrowed as the air began to grow suspiciously cold — far colder than it should ever get at this time of year. She looked down and noticed that the puddles created from Zabuza's destroyed water clones began to chill and frost over. Despite the somewhat intimidating display, Sayuri grinned at the challenge.

This time, it would be Kakashi and the others watching her.

* * *

Tsunami was cleaning dishes, absentmindedly humming a tune to keep herself entertained. She was in relatively high spirits lately, and it was all thanks to the arrival of the Hidden Leaf shinobi and the eventual completion of the bridge looming on the horizon. Sure, it likely wouldn't bring an end to all of their problems all at once, but it was a start. On another note, she'd had some private conversations with the team leader, Kakashi, and he said that he would inform the Hokage about the Land of Wave's situation and see if the could help.

Her pleasant daydreaming was interrupted when the front door war obliterated — seemingly cut to pieces. Tsunami dropped a plate onto the floor, and it shattered as she covered her mouth to halt her scream. At the door were two rogues — rogues that she recognized very well. Their names were Zōri and Waraji, and they were Gatō's personal bodyguards. She remembered them from…that day.

"Hey lady, you're Tazuna's daughter, right?" the more level-headed of the two, Zōri, asked. "Let skip the pleasantries and get on with this. Gatō wants a hostage, and you seem like the perfect choice to me."

From the other side of the wall, Inari heard the commotion and peaked his head around the corner. He saw his mother cowering on the ground, with two terrifying swordsmen looming over her. He had already gathered that this was terrible news, but the moment he heard Gatō's name, all bets were off. This was beyond bad!

"M-Mom!" he shouted on instinct, before covering his mouth after realizing that he'd just given away his position.

The two samurai casually looked over their shoulders to see a trembling, tearful boy. Waraji grimaced in disgust, finding the kid's fear to be pathetic, "Hey, should we take this one too?"

Tsunami's blood ran cold at the mere suggestion.

Thankfully, Zōri shook his head, "Nah, Gatō said he only wants one hostage," he said before making Tsunami's heart stop. "Just kill him or something."

That sounded like music to Waraji's ears, and the sound of his blade sliding against his sheath sounded like death to Tsunami and Inari. He took a foreboding step toward the young boy but stopped when the kid's mother shrieked like a madwoman.

"If you hurt my son, I'll kill myself, and you won't have a hostage!" Tsunami screamed. "I'll bite my tongue — I swear!"

Apparently finding the threat funny, Zōri and Waraji smirked. People like them would never be able to understand a mother's desire to protect their child. They'd sell their own mothers away in a heartbeat if it meant saving their own skins. In their eyes, that was how the real world worked, and people like this were just living in a fantasy land.

Zōri sighed before waving his partner off, "Fine, fine. Let's not make this any more complicated than it needs to be," he then rolled his eyes when Waraji looked disappointed. "You already drew blood today. And besides, Gatō will be pissed if this crazy bitch offs herself, and we come back without a hostage. Do you want to be the one to explain what happened?"

The prospect of pissing off their billionaire boss wasn't all that appealing, so even the blood lusted Waraji conceded, "Guess it's your lucky day, kid," he remarked before sheathing his sword.

Inari could only watch in horrified silence as the two men took out some rope and tied his mother's wrists together. Unable to watch anymore, Inari concealed himself behind the wall once more as Gatō's men took his mother, who knows where. He mumbled apologies under his breath, but there was nothing else that he could do. He was weak, and Gatō was strong.

_You're such a coward. You make me sick to my stomach._

Naruto.

_My guess would be that he just got tired of crying and decided to do something about it. Even though he's still only just a kid, he knows what it means to be strong — just like your father did._

Mr. Kakashi

_Live your life so that you'll have no regrets. No matter how hard, no matter how sad, if something is precious to you, protect it with both arms! If you do that — even if you die — the proof that you were a man will remain forever._

Father.

Inari looked down at his arms to see that they were no longer trembling. He wiped away his tears and stood to his feet, a look of determination now spread across his face as his thoughts shifted to his mother and grandfather. His father may be gone, but they were still here, and he would be damned if he let anything happen to them!

Upon strengthening his resolve, Inari ran into the kitchen and retrieved a knife from a drawer. It wasn't nearly as large as a sword, but it was better than charging out barehanded. Having everything he needed, he burst through the front door to see his mother being escorted down the docks. He heard the two samurai taunting his mother as they roughly pulled on the ropes, causing her to nearly fall over.

"Hey, bastards!" Inari shouted, causing Zōri and Waraji to turn and look at him in bewilderment. "Let my mom go, now!"

They spied the knife in his hand and couldn't help but chuckle. Grown men with better weapons than that had tried to stop them in the past, so what hope did this little brat actually think that he had?

"Inari!" Tsunami shouted in terror, before looking at Zōri and Waraji place their hands on the hilts of their swords. "If you hurt him, I swear—"

Before she could finish, a strike on the back of her neck rendered her a heap on the ground, "How about you take a nap?" Zōri joked before rolling his shoulder. "At this point, it's just self-defense on our part."

With a shout of rage, Inari charged at the two men with the intent to kill — or at least do serious bodily harm. At that moment, he wasn't concerned with whether he lived or died. If he stayed inside and let his mother get taken, he'd spend the rest of his life disgusted with himself. A son's responsibility was to protect their mother when their father was no longer there to do so. With his father in his thoughts, he pulled back the knife and prepared to thrust once he was within range.

Not at all threatened, Zōri and Waraji drew their weapons and prepared to cut down the cheeky brat there and now. However, before their blades could meet his flesh, an orange blur appeared between them, and they each received a kick to the temple. The force of the blows was enough to separate them from consciousness instantly, and Inari nearly tripped over his feet, trying to halt his advance.

Naruto deftly landed between the two unconscious grunts, being sure not to harm Tsunami in the process. He kneeled at her side and checked her pulse, just to be safe. Once he confirmed that she was still breathing, he removed the rope that was tied between her arms and tossed it at Inari's feet without a word. The young boy watched in awe as Naruto assisted his mother to her feet.

"Tie these goons up while I take your mom inside," Naruto ordered before carefully carrying the injured women back to her home.

Inari picked up the rope and looked down at his tormentors with thinly veiled amazement. Being from a coastal fishing village, he had a lot of experience tying knots, so he had no trouble restraining the two men, tying them with their wrists together, back-to-back. He felt an odd desire to kick them into the water below and watch them sink to their inevitable demise, but he shook the thought from his head. That wasn't something that his father would ever do.

Once his task was finished, he returned to the house and saw that Naruto had placed his mother in her bed. He waited by her side with his arms crossed and appeared satisfied once he saw that Inari was back. He walked up to the young boy and pinched him on the cheek in a shocking display. It actually hurt quite a bit, and Inari grabbed his now reddened face and glared in bewilderment.

"What was that for?" Inari yipped.

Naruto shrugged, "I just wanted to pinch you to make sure I wasn't dreaming."

"You're supposed to pinch yourself if you want to do that, dumbass!"

With a casual wave, Naruto ignored the criticism, "Semantics, semantics," he argued before his expression grew serious. "What the hell were you thinking charging at those guys like that, anyway?"

Inari grew solemn as well, the pain in his cheek becoming an immediate afterthought. Now that the adrenaline had faded, he wasn't sure what exactly had motivated his actions. Was it love? Anger? Both? He wasn't exactly sure, but one thing he was confident in was that he knew he'd done the right thing. Even if he'd died, he would have gone out like a man. Like a hero.

Like his father.

"I decided to stop crying and actually do something," Inari declared, remembering what Kakashi had told him. "That's what a real man does, right?"

Naruto appeared puzzled at the declaration before a smirk of understanding spread over his face, "I suppose you're right," he conceded. "We men aren't the brightest, are we?"

Inari laughed, wiping away the dried tears that still remained on his face from earlier.

"I have to say, you proved me wrong," Naruto continued, causing Inari to pause. "You definitely aren't a coward."

Hearing those words from Naruto made Inari feel beyond honored. There was no doubt that his father was looking down at him with pride at the fact that he finally manned up and decided to protect what he loved with both arms. Inari wasn't going to let Gatō — or anyone for that matter — hurt him or his people ever again!

"An idiot, maybe. But not a coward," Naruto continued absentmindedly, oblivious to Inari's thoughts.

A tick mark appeared on Inari's forehead at the backhanded compliment, but he held his tongue in the end. This was just the kind of guy Naruto was, and right now, he was just grateful that his mother was safe and sound.

Naruto took another look at Tsunami before turning back to Inari, "I have to head to the bridge now," he said. "You think you can handle things here while I'm gone, big guy?"

Inari nodded his head resolutely. He didn't need protection anymore. From now on, he'd be the one doing the protecting! He watched Naruto leave with a casual wave before eventually disappearing in a flash of speed. Seeing such a feat made Inari realize what people were capable of if they put their minds to it. It actually gave him an idea. It was time for the people of this land to stand up for themselves.

With that in mind, Inari went upstairs to retrieve his family's crossbow before heading into town.

* * *

Sayuri and Haku clashed at the bridge's center, with kunai crashing against Senbon as the two children attempted to exert strength over the other. Kakashi and Zabuza simply watched the display like proud parents, both confident that it would be their subordinate who came out on top. It was difficult to tell what Mangetsu was thinking, but Sakura's anxiety was apparent. Regardless, she rooted for her teammate all the same.

'You've got this, Sayuri! Show that jerk who's boss!' Sakura mentally cheered.

Meanwhile, Zabuza hummed in surprise, 'So she can keep up with Haku's speed?' he thought to himself.

After several more clashes of steel, Sayuri and Haku ended up in a deadlock once more. The kunai scraping against the Senbon created a shrill noise that made Tazuna cringe.

"We aren't here to kill you," Haku explained from behind his mask. "We just want the bridge builder. You don't have to die here."

Sayuri smirked in defiance, "Save it."

Haku shook his head, "You don't understand. You won't be able to keep up for much longer," he revealed. "Plus, you're already at a disadvantage."

Despite Haku's "helpful" advice, Sayuri appeared unperturbed. After her training over the last week, her confidence was sky-high, "How's that?" she asked.

"First, we're surrounded by water," Haku explained, alluding to the dispelled water clones. "And second, I've blocked one of your hands, leaving you with only one for defense."

Sayuri's eyes widened in shock when Haku began forming hand seals using only his left hand. One-handed seals? That wasn't supposed to be possible. Even Kakashi was shocked. In all his years, he'd never seen anyone do anything close to that. Even the likes of the Third Hokage never exhibited the ability to perform seals with only one hand — at least as far as Kakashi knew.

"Secret Jutsu: 1,000 Needles of Death."

Haku slammed his right foot on to the ground, and the water that surrounded the two youths then rose to form thousands of small needles that all seemed poised to pierce Sayuri's flesh. Rather than getting discouraged or afraid, Sayuri calmed herself and assessed the situation. As they presently were, Haku was also vulnerable to being hit by the jutsu as well, which meant that he would need to dodge at the last minute to prevent his efforts from being suicidal. If he was fast enough to move away, then Sayuri could manage as well.

Without warning, the needles descended onto Sayuri and Haku, with the later relinquishing his position and backing away to avoid damage. Sayuri recalled her weeks of training since her graduation and channeled her chakra into her feet and legs. It would take an incredible burst of speed to avoid a jutsu with such a massive attack radius, and there wasn't room for any mistakes.

The needles crashed into the ground with tremendous force, initially making it impossible to tell whether it had landed or not. Those with experience on the battlefield — namely Kakashi, Zabuza, Mangetsu, and Haku — were keen enough to notice that it hadn't. They looked up to see that Sayuri was floating through the air above. Haku's eyes narrowed under his mask. This girl was good. Very good.

While Sayuri remained in the air, she threw three shuriken, each of which resulted in Haku being pushed back to avoid damage. Before she could touch the ground, Sayuri disappeared once again and appeared at Haku's back, "Try to keep up," she taunted before Haku spun around to engage her once more.

Haku managed to parry an attack from Sayuri's right hand but was surprised when her opponent revealed another kunai in her left. Sayuri threw the weapon straight at Haku's head, who crouched down to avoid the damage. This proved to be an ill-advised move, as Sayuri used to opportunity to kick Haku directly in the face, causing the older boy to skip down the bridge like a stone across a pond.

With his student having one the initial exchange, Kakashi looked on in pride. When he'd first be assigned his team, Sayuri would have never been able to hang with an opponent of Haku's caliber. Now, here she was landing meaningful blows against an elite missing-nin. The growth was impressive, and Kakashi wondered how Naruto would fare in her situation? At this point, it was beginning to get difficult to discern who the strongest genin on his team was.

Unlike Kakashi, Zabuza watched the entire fight in stunned silence. It wasn't possible. Nobody was faster than Haku — especially not some greenhorn from the Hidden Leaf Village. Mangetsu grit his sharpened teeth under his mask, not pleased at seeing his partner getting pushed around. He made to take a step forward but was stopped by Zabuza's outstretched arm.

"Remember your role in this operation," Zabuza muttered. "Your job is to take out the bridge builder."

They'd decided that Zabuza would fight with Kakashi Hatake while Haku took care of the genin, leaving Mangetsu to take out the target. The decision was made for a number of reasons. Mainly, Zabuza wasn't going to accept a strategy where he didn't get another crack at Kakashi, and Haku — despite attempting to conceal the fact — had no stomach for killing. Mangetsu, on the other hand — well — he was made from different stuff.

Regardless, Mangetsu had seen enough, "Haku, stop playing nice," he complained. "Are you really going to let this kid land blows on you like that?"

As if following his instruction, Haku's chakra began to manifest around him, and the air began to grow even colder. He then formed a strange hand seal that Sayuri was unfamiliar with, indicating that this was going to be some kind of unique jutsu.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this, but you've given me no choice," Haku apologized, once more exhibiting a bizarre amount of empathy for his opponent.

Structures made purely from ice began to manifest around Sayuri in a bizarre way, eventually forming into large mirrors. When the jutsu was complete, Sayuri was entirely surrounded by a dome of these strange ice mirrors. There were gaps large enough between each mirror that were large enough for her to escape, but she had a feeling that doing so wouldn't be so simple.

"Secret Jutsu," Haku muttered. "Crystal Ice Mirrors."

Haku then inexplicably walked directly into one of the mirrors, before seemingly melding into it. Upon doing so, it looked as though his image was simply reflecting off of the crystalline structure. Before long, the masked hunter-nin's visage was reflecting on all of the other mirrors as well, making it impossible to tell where exactly he was.

Without warning, a single senbon needle grazed Sayuri's cheek, immediately drawing blood. This was followed by many others, each either similarly cutting her or piercing her flesh in non-vital areas. Unable to realize where any of the attacks from coming from, Sayuri covered her head with her hands and hunched over in an attempt to protect herself. All she could do at the moment was cry out in pain.

Realizing that the situation had gotten out of hand, Kakashi decided to take action. However, before he could reach his student, Zabuza appeared before him, "How about you and I finish things, Kakashi?" he asked, before drawing his Executioner's Blade.

'Dammit,' Kakashi thought before retrieving a kunai from his pouch. 'Just hold tight, Sayuri. I'll be there soon.'

* * *

Sakura watched the developing battle with unease. Both Kakashi and Sayuri were thoroughly occupied, leaving her to defend Tazuna. Not that she would complain, of course! She was no fool — she recognized that her current skill set was more suited to a support role. Most in her situation would pout or feel inadequate, but Sakura instead resolved to protect Tazuna as best she could. That was her responsibility.

It was only after her little self-pep talk that she remembered that there were actually three enemies. Her head swiveled back to the other side of the bridge, and her blood ran cold when she realized that the other fake hunter-nin was nowhere to be seen. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going to go down. He was going to try to kill Tazuna, and it was her responsibility to stop him. The question wasn't whether or not it would happen, but rather, whether she was capable enough to stop him.

'Deep breaths, Sakura,' she thought to herself. 'What would Ino say if she found out you went running scared?'

"Are you sure you're an actual shinobi?"

Sakura's eyes widened, and she swiveled on her feet to see the other hunter-nin behind her and Tazuna. He had one of his hands resting on his right hip, which eventually drew Sakura's attention to the blade that he had sheathed on his left. This was happening. This was totally happening! It would have been foolish of her to think that she would have made it through this entire mission without having to really pull her weight.

"Kids like you would have been weeded out pretty quickly in my village," Mangetsu continued. "I mean no disrespect, but seriously. What are you even doing here?"

Unsure how to respond, Sakura merely repositioned herself in front of Tazuna and placed her kunai between herself and the enemy. He didn't seem to be taking her very seriously — which was good, all things considered. It was infinitely better than him killing her in one blow like she knew he could. Sakura saw how well his teammate managed against Sayuri, and there was no reason for her to think that he was any weaker.

Mangetsu scratched the back of his head, "Listen, this doesn't have to happen this way," he continued. "But there's only one scenario where you come out of this alive because if you try to get in my way even a little bit, I'm killing you first — amateur or not. So, get out of here and let me take care of business."

The fact that he actually thought she would accept such an offer made Sakura grit her teeth in frustration — but for reasons, one wouldn't expect. She was upset because there was a part of her deep down inside that was asking why she hadn't already accepted the offer and booked it. Her enemy was right; she had no business being here. But she couldn't just let him have his way!

"Sakura," Tazuna spoke up from behind her. "You and your team have done your job in getting me this far. At this point in the construction, my workers can manage without me. There's no reason for you to have to die here too."

Sakura looked back at her client in stunned silence.

"You're a sweet kid, you know that? Don't let this twerp's words get to you," Tazuna complimented with a small smile. "But it just wouldn't be right for a kid like you to die saving some old-timer. So, go on! Help your teammate, who clearly needs you."

Once more reminded of Sayuri's predicament, she looked over to the dome of ice mirrors to see her teammate trying — and for the most part failing — to avoid the mysterious masked boy's attacks. They came from all angles and at unpredictable intervals. Even if she was fast enough to dodge, it didn't matter. Only someone with eyes in the back of their head could defeat such a jutsu.

"Aside from the part about me being a twerp, the old man's right," Mangetsu reasoned. "I'd gladly kill that blond kid or the girl Haku's turning into a porcupine, but there's no thrill in killing someone who can't defend themselves — unless someone's paying you to do it, of course."

Mangetsu added the last bit when he saw that Tazuna was about to say something snarky. Probably something along the lines of how an old bridge builder like him was as defenseless as it got.

"I…I don't…I won't," Sakura tried to formulate her words, but nothing really came out.

_Today, you helped Sayuri and Naruto both, and you were prepared to let them get the bells for themselves, even if it meant you would fail. That is the marking of a true shinobi – one I'd be honored to call my comrade._

Sakura recalled Kakashi's words from the bell test, which managed to bring her to tears not all that long ago.

_In the shinobi world, those who break the rules are trash — that's true — but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash._

Sakura then felt weightlessness take over her. It was easy to interpret Kakashi's words as blind idealism, but now that she was actually in a real-life or death situation, they hit differently. She looked at Tazuna, and a fire lit in her belly. The old drunk may not be a shinobi, but that didn't mean she didn't consider him a comrade. He was standing with her on the battlefield, pressing on to the very same goal.

Accepting her enemy's offer would make her worse than trash.

"Make it happen then," Sakura spoke up, with the confidence of her tone actually surprising Tazuna and Mangetsu. "You said you'd kill me if I tried to get in the way, right? Well, this is me getting in the way. Do something about it."

Tazuna looked down at the young girl in astonishment, "Sakura…"

Despite the apparent showing of growth and strength, Mangetsu didn't seem impressed, "You're in a rush to die? That's cute," he remarked. "But let's see how tough you are when you actually see some of your blood."

Mangetsu then lunged forward — all the while unsheathing his sword in an attempt to cleave Sakura in two from collarbone to waist. Despite how fast he was moving, Sakura was able to react based strictly on instinct. She parried his strike, but it only managed to divert the blow. Mangetsu's blade managed to score a shallow cut on her right side as he finished his strike, causing Sakura to wince in pain.

Fighting through the agony, Sakura pulled another kunai from her pouch and threw it directly at Mangetsu's masked face — all the while keeping the kunai from earlier in her dominant hand for defense. Mangetsu dodged easily — almost lazily — before closing the distance much faster than before and attempting a horizontal cut. This time, his speed was too great for Sakura to react. Tazuna watched in horror as the girl in front of him was sliced clean in half at the waist, and Mangetsu merely looked down and shook his head. It was so unnecessary.

Mangetsu's eyes then widened though when the Sakura's body erupted in a puff of smoke, revealing a severed log in her place. The real Sakura quickly jumped into view, grabbing Tazuna and diving as far away as she could. Mangetsu watched the move in confusion before looking more closely at the log to see that it was covered in paper bombs.

"Oh—"

The explosion was fierce, enough to shake the very foundations of the bridge they were fighting on. Thankfully, Tazuna's craftsmanship held firm, resulting in only surface-level damage that could easily be repaired within a couple of days. Nevertheless, enough explosives were used to kill a fully-grown adult male a dozen times over.

"You *huff* shinobi are *huff* crazy," Tazuna groaned from his back. The fall had been a bit painful, but he supposed it was better than being blown to pieces. "I think I shit myself."

Sakura appeared haggard as well, "Really?" she asked with a look of disbelief. "After all we've been through over the past week, now is the time that you choose crap your pants?"

"Old people have sensitive bowels!" Tazuna roared before narrowing his eyes pensively. "Besides, I'm not even sure if I actually did or not."

A deadpan expression passed over Sakura's face as Tazuna shifted his weight around in an attempt to solve the mystery once and for all.

"Nope. False alarm. All good."

Dear God, she was surrounded by such weirdos.

The smoke from the blast eventually settled, and Sakura surveyed the bridge, hoping that her opponent would be no more. Imagine her surprise when he stood at the very center of the blast radius, with no apparent damage whatsoever. The only difference was that his mask appeared to have been destroyed, revealing a teenaged boy with shoulder-length white hair, purple eyes, and sharpened teeth. He wore a Hidden Mist headband, the same as Zabuza, and his expression could be best described as apathetic.

"Well done. You broke the bridge that you're supposed to be defending. And my mask too — I guess." Mangetsu congratulated with obvious sarcasm before looking at Tazuna specifically. "I'm glad you didn't actually soil yourself, by the way. For the sake of your dignity."

Sakura was stupefied. There was no way he should have been able to survive that explosion — unless he dodged it. But based on his current position, it appeared as though he hadn't moved at all. There wasn't even a single sign of injury on his entire body either. Also, the fact that he seemed to have overheard their conversation meant that his eardrums weren't damaged by the explosion.

What was this guy?

"Oh, you heard that?" Tazuna asked, chuckling awkwardly and in embarrassment. "I was just joking around for the kid."

Mangetsu's expression belayed a lack of belief in Tazuna's flimsy excuse, "Right," he continued before turning back to Sakura. "Well, anyway. That was clever, but not something I've never seen before. I'd ask if you have anything else hidden up your sleeve, but I'll go out on a limb and assume that you don't."

Sakura could only grind her teeth in a fury. Her plan hadn't taken into consideration that this dude was apparently fucking invincible! Seriously. Unless he dodged and then came back to the exact same spot just to mess with her, he displayed a level of resilience that shouldn't be possible. And to make matters worse, he rightfully assessed that she didn't have much more in her current playbook. Sure, she could use some other strategies, but she was slowly losing blood from the wound on her side, and the last thing she could afford to do in a situation like this fought with a handicap.

"I'll admit, that was better than just standing there and getting killed right off the bat," Mangetsu complimented as he approached Tazuna and Sakura at a sedated pace. "Maybe you could have actually become someone interesting if you had accepted my offer and stepped to the side when you still had the chance?"

Sakura glared defiantly, "A true shinobi would never take that offer."

Mangetsu stopped once he was within arm's reach of Sakura and raised his blade, "I guess that's true," he replied with a smirk before swinging the sword down for the girl's head.

However, Mangetsu was stopped when a Fūma shuriken made entirely of solid-red chakra soared past his peripheral vision and sliced his arm in two at the elbow. His blade plummeted to the ground with a harsh clang, and Sakura took the opportunity to grab Tazuna and create more distance between them and their foe. Despite being dealt a seemingly horrific blow, Mangetsu didn't seem to react to any sort of pain. In fact, Sakura couldn't even see any blood pouring from his wound.

"Sorry I'm late," a voice announced from the railing of the bridge, to Sakura and Tazuna's right. "But a hero is never supposed to show up on time — or something like that."

Sakura could say without a doubt that she'd never been happier to see Naruto in her entire life. It was no exaggeration to say that he had literally just saved both her and Tazuna's lives just then, and if not for the fact that they were currently in a battle scenario, she'd hug him then and there. Hell, even Tazuna looked like he wanted to grab Naruto and squeeze the life out of him — in the best way possible, obviously.

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted out with glee, making no effort to conceal her relief. "Where have you been?"

Without warning, Naruto vanished with a body flicker before appearing at Sakura's side. He gave her an appraising look and frowned when he saw the wound she'd suffered on her right side. Sakura felt uncomfortable under his scrutinizing gaze and instinctively placed her hand over the wound to conceal it. This proved to be a mistake, as she understandably winced in pain.

"I had to stop by the house and save Inari and Tsunami from some of Gatō's thugs," Naruto explained, causing Tazuna to tense up in worry.

Before he could even ask, Naruto waved him off, "Relax, they're both fine," he assured. "They're lucky I arrived when I did, though. Inari was about to get himself killed, charging at Gatō's men with a knife to try and save his mother."

Tazuna's jaw nearly dropped at the news before he was forced to rub his eyes to prevent tears from leaking out. His family was safe. Thank God. And while he was less than thrilled that his grandson attempted to fight two grown men on his own, he couldn't help but be filled with pride. In the end, the boy proved to be just like his father.

"So, how much of that did you see? Because I'm not sure we have enough time for me to give you a rundown on this guy," Sakura said. Secretly, she hoped that her teammate had seen her manage to survive and protect Tazuna for as long as she did.

Naruto smiled, "I caught the backend of your little scuffle," he said before shuddering from a painful memory. "You and your damned paper bombs."

Their heartwarming moment was interrupted when they were reminded that they still had an enemy to face. They looked at Mangetsu and were stunned when the stump of his severed arm began to drip water. Then, inexplicably, the water extended down to his severed arm and connected, eventually reattaching the limb entirely. That would explain how he survived the explosion. Mangetsu then retrieved his sword off of the ground as if nothing had happened.

"Sakura," Naruto spoke, his tone severe and lacking any of its previous mirth. "See to that wound and keep an eye on Tazuna. You've done enough."

Naruto clearly wasn't waiting to hear what she wanted, as he walked toward Mangetsu without even giving her a chance to speak. He probably figured that she would try to argue that she could still help — which was true. But in the end, his decision was probably for the best. In pristine condition, she wouldn't be of much use in a fight like this, and now she was injured as well. Nevertheless, she felt a swell of pride build in her chest at Naruto acknowledging her efforts. That's all she'd ever wanted from him.

"Naruto Uzumaki," Mangetsu greeted as if the circumstances were entirely normal. "I'm honored to finally be facing a real challenge."

With his hands placed behind his head, Naruto retorted, "Yeah? Well, the feeling isn't mutual."

Mangetsu appeared more amused than disrespected. It was evident that he didn't care what Naruto thought about him, as he was someone who preferred to let his actions do the talking. Still, none of what he said had been lies. He thrived when faced with worthy opponents, and Naruto was definitely a cut above his pink-haired teammate. In fact, in Mangetsu's summation, Naruto was the strongest genin on his team.

"Have I managed to offend you already?" Mangetsu asked, more curious than upset.

A pair of chakra kunai appeared in Naruto's hands, and he held one conventionally and the other in a reverse grip.

"You made her bleed," Naruto replied matter-of-factly, as if explaining the most straightforward thing ever. "So, I'm going to make you bleed."

Mangetsu couldn't help but grin.

"You'd be the first."

* * *

**~End~**

* * *

**Hey, guys. First of all, I wanted to apologize. I know that I said in the last chapter that the Wave Arc was going to be finished in Chapter 6, but when I started writing it, it ended up being way longer than expected. Based on what I've already written and still need to write, I estimate that it would have totaled between 25,000 and 30,000 words. So rather than posting one chapter that was ridiculously long, I decided to cut what I had written for Chapter 6 in half and post it as two separate chapters. With that said, since I divided what I had already written in half, I'm already nearly finished with Chapter 7. I just need to complete a couple of scenes, edit grammar, and proofread before publishing. It should be published sometime next week.**

**Thanks again for your continued support.**


	7. The Bridge of Hope

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. All characters in this story, excluding those that are created by me, are the intellectual property of Masashi Kishimoto. Please show support by reading or watching the original source material.**

* * *

**~Confronting the Shadow: Chapter Seven~**

* * *

" **The Bridge of Hope"**

Pain and cold were the two words that Sayuri would use to best describe her situation. The decrease in temperature actually made the needles cutting and piercing her skin hurt more than they probably would under ordinary circumstances. Still, after a while, the cold air would produce a numbing sensation in her skin that rendered her tender wounds to be an afterthought. Summoning her strength, Sayuri weaved through six hand seals and held her fingers in front of her mouth.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

Having grown sick of being skewered by senbon, Sayuri used her signature jutsu in an attempt to melt the ice mirrors there and now. Imagine her surprise when her attack proved useless. This ice clearly wasn't ordinary since even a three-year-old kid knew that fire melted ice. Sayuri was overcome with a feeling of hopelessness for a brief moment but instantly squashed it away. No jutsu was perfect. Nobody was unbeatable. Everyone had a weakness. Sayuri swiveled her head and scanned over the various reflections of her masked opponent.

'I just need to figure out what yours is,' Sayuri thought with a frown.

"I don't want to kill you," Haku stated, his voice echoing all around. "Surrender, and I'll spare you."

Sayuri actually smirked at the gall of her opponent. Did this guy really think he was so powerful that he could have her begging for mercy? Regardless of whether he was genuine or not, his words were wasted on Sayuri. Needless to say, she didn't want charity from anyone. Hell, Sayuri wouldn't even allow someone to pull a chair out for her at a restaurant — not that she ate out often (or with others, for that matter).

'No choice,' Sayuri thought before activating her Sharingan. She'd hoped that she wouldn't need it for this fight, but she wouldn't allow her pride to lead to her defeat. There was a lot at stake.

The moment she activated her ocular jutsu, Haku's movements became far more readable. For the first time in the fight, Sayuri anticipated Haku's moves and deflected a barrage of senbon with a kunai, much to the masked boy's surprise. He noticed the change in Sayuri's eyes and melded back into a mirror.

Despite the shift in their match, Haku remained calm. Sayuri being able to predict his moves didn't mean that she had the physical prowess to counter them correctly. It was the primary weakness of the Sharingan's perceptive abilities — at least according to entries that Haku had read in the Bingo Book. Even if a user's eyes could track their opponent's movements, if their body wasn't just as fast, then all it accomplished was forcing the user to see their demise more clearly.

At least, that's what Haku thought before a barrage of shuriken nearly intercepted him when he was moving between mirrors. The smirk on Sayuri's face indicated that she was fully aware of the progress she was making. Despite not delivering any damage, the point was still made. Sayuri was able to see Haku and was slowly but surely becoming comfortable fighting against his speed. It was only a matter of time before attacks like that began landing.

'I'll need to increase my speed,' Haku realized before melding into another mirror.

This time, upon leaving the mirror, he did not transfer to another but instead headed straight for his opponent. Sayuri was surprised by the change in tactics and could barely raise her kunai to parry the direct attack. She stumbled back due to the force of the exchange but managed to shift her weight and rotate her hips to deliver a spinning back-kick to her opponent's chest. The force of the blow sent Haku sailing into the air, but he skillfully managed to form a seal with his right hand.

While Sayuri's leg was still extended from her kick, a patch of ice manifested under her planted foot. The unexpected change in her footing caused her to slip and fall onto her back and drop her kunai. Seizing the advantage, Haku diverted his path midair and dove straight for his downed enemy. Realizing where her opponent would strike, Sayuri formed a familiar set of seals while on her back before releasing a massive fireball that completely eclipsed Haku from view.

"Water Style: Water Bullet."

Sayuri's jutsu was then countered by a bullet of water identical in size to her jutsu. The collision of the two elements resulted in the fireball being snuffed out, and the water bullet being evaporated into a cloud of mist. With her vision now obscured, Sayuri only had an instant to react before another barrage of senbon were headed straight for her neck and chest. She was forced to raise her arms to block the attack, resulting in her forearms taking all of the damage.

Haku's attacks weren't causing all that much damage all at once, but they were slowly beginning to take their toll. Sayuri realized this when she struggled to get back up to her feet. She reached down to her thigh and pulled out a needle that had pierced her just above to knee and winced at the pain. The needles were inhibiting her movement by targeting specific muscles and pressure points in her body. Sayuri recalled how Zabuza's death had been faked during their first battle and realized that all it would take was a couple of senbon to the neck for her to be completely incapacitated.

Now that Sayuri was able to see Haku's movements, victory was possible. However, she couldn't afford to take any further damage. It was becoming rather apparent that it would take only one or two more attacks to put her out of commission for good, so she'd need to be perfect in her execution from here on out.

"Nobody ever said this would be easy," Sayuri mumbled to herself, but not loud enough for Haku to hear.

* * *

Mangetsu smiled as he retreated further down the bridge. Naruto was in hot pursuit, nipping at his enemy's heels the entire way. Finally, Mangetsu stopped in his tracks, causing Naruto to skid to a halt and raise his guard. He predicted some kind of attack to come, but nothing happened. Mangetsu simply opted to turn and face him.

"This should be better. We'll have privacy here," Mangetsu said. "Does this location work for you?"

Naruto frowned. They'd gone far enough down the bridge to where he could no longer see his team through the mist, but they were still close enough to hear the fighting. For a moment, Naruto worried about the wellbeing of his team, but then he remembered how Kakashi, Sayuri, and Sakura were each competent in their own ways. They would be fine. But now, it was his responsibility to ensure that this shark-toothed jackass didn't get his hands on Tazuna.

Taking his silence as approval, Mangetsu charged forward in a burst of impressive speed. Able to keep up well enough, Naruto performed six hand seals and focused intently on his opponent, "Water Style: Severing Wave," he muttered.

Chakra kneaded in Naruto's stomach, and he could immediately feel it being converted into water. Using the gathered water, Naruto released it from his mouth in a deadly high-pressure stream that could easily cut through most forms of defense. Mangetsu continued his advance but shifted to the side, allowing the jutsu to pass right over his shoulder. Naruto countered by turned his head to the left, directing the stream's direction toward Mangetsu's exposed body.

Mangetsu either didn't see the jutsu change direction or didn't care because he was immediately cut down at the waist. Naruto watched his upper body plop to the ground in an unceremonious thud. Yet, he refused to believe that the fight was over. He summoned a pair of chakra kunai once more and ran forward, intending to plunge one of them into Mangetsu's skull. However, before his attack could land, Mangetsu's legs reattached to his lower body just as his arm had earlier, and he blocked Naruto's chakra kunai with his blade.

Now that the two were standing face-to-face, they began to engage in close hand-to-hand combat. Naruto's chakra kunai proved to be rather effective for blocking Mangetsu's rapid and precise sword swings. Still, their range was too short for him to be able to land any significant strikes of his own. But even if they could, Naruto wasn't sure that any damage would be done. As far as he could tell, concussive damage, cutting damage, and piercing damage had all been proven to be fruitless. Sakura's paper bomb attack proved the former, and all of his failed attacks thus far proved the latter.

Suddenly, Mangetsu's body transformed entirely into water, which pooled onto the ground at Naruto's feet. He then quickly reformed directly behind Naruto and landed a diagonal slash on his back. Naruto arched his back in pain and swiveled around. However, Mangetsu simply performed the same maneuver and transformed into water again before kicking Naruto in the black with enough force to send him tumbling forward.

The kick had been intelligently placed and landed directly on the open wound, which increased the pain tenfold. Naruto remained on his stomach for a few moments before gathering the strength to push back to his feet. He heard Mangetsu casually strolling up behind him and scowled at the fact that none of his attacks were working. To make matters worse, Naruto's specialty was water style. He figured that using water style ninjutsu against someone who seemed to be practically made of the stuff was probably a bad idea.

Or was it?

It was at that moment that an idea popped into Naruto's head. He recalled the liquid state that Mangetsu could apparently shift into at will and wondered if it left him vulnerable. Obviously, conventional attacks wouldn't work at all, but Naruto had a theory that he wanted to prove. He hoped that it would work because he wasn't sure how many more attacks he could actually take before he began to lose control of himself. That would be difficult to explain to his team if they noticed him.

'Alright, just a little more,' Naruto mentally groaned before summoning a chakra blade in his right hand.

Mangetsu seemed almost offended that a novice swordsman wanted to tangle with him in his area of expertise. Nevertheless, he accepted the challenge and parried Naruto's initial attack. He had to admit, the boy's speed made up for his lack of skill, but it was clear that he had never received any formal training with a blade. Eventually, Mangetsu slammed the pommel of his sword onto the side of Naruto's head, knocking it to the side. However, before he could land a final strike, Naruto vanished in a body flicker and, in a stroke of irony, appeared at Mangetsu's back poised to strike.

Having underestimated Naruto's speed, Mangetsu transformed into water to assault Naruto's blindside. However, before he could do so, Naruto formed a hand seal with his left hand and pointed it directly at the puddle that Mangetsu had turned into. Much to his shock, Mangetsu felt a foreign chakra entering the pool of water and realized that the boy must have been attempting to use water manipulation to prevent him from transforming back.

Funny enough, it actually worked. Mangetsu wasn't sure if everyone he fought up until this point wasn't smart enough to try, or if this Naruto kid had a particularly strong affinity for water, but this was the first time anyone had ever taken advantage of his Hydrification Jutsu in this way. Up until this moment, he'd assumed that the only weakness to his jutsu was lightning style.

The strain of holding Mangetsu in place appeared significant, as Naruto needed to furrow his brow just to keep him in place. He allowed the chakra blade in his right hand to disappear and instead created what appeared to be an urn. Mangetsu began to panic when he realized what Naruto was doing. Using his left hand to direct the water, Naruto slowly inched it toward the urn where he intended to seal it shut. In such a small, confined space, Mangetsu would be unable to transform back into his body and would have no hope of escape.

Barely able to muster up any resistance, Mangetsu finally managed to manifest one of his arms out of the mass of water that Naruto was attempting to seal. It was all he could do while his body was under the influence of the boy's incredibly powerful chakra, but it was more than enough for him to make it out of this fight. Mangetsu formed a finger gun with his hand and pointed it directly at Naruto. A small concentration of water then formed at the tip of his index finger, and Naruto only realized the danger when it was too late.

"Water Gun Jutsu!"

The droplet of water was fired with incredible force and speed. The only thing Naruto heard was a loud bang before the bullet went directly through his chest.

* * *

Kakashi remained silent and focused his hearing as he stood in the center of a thick mist. It was like a redo of their initial battle, but without having a genin team to protect, he was fairing much better. When the fight began, Kakashi had won the initial physical exchanges. Zabuza was then forced to fall back onto his specialty. However, Kakashi's perception was high enough for him to avoid pretty much all of Zabuza's attacks. Still, he found himself unable to mount much of an offensive assault due to his opponent's elusive nature.

However, Kakashi was then overtaken by a sense of urgency when he felt a familiar, malevolent chakra blanketing the bridge. His eyes widened in horror as he realized what the possible implications of the Nine Tails chakra being released could mean. Had the beast broken free? He then calmed his nerves and reasoned that there would be no basis to assume anything if the Nine Tails had escaped from the seal. Were that to be the case, there would be no doubt, and they would all probably be dead.

Quick to notice the almost venomous chakra as well, Zabuza initially assumed that it must have originated from Kakashi. However, after a moment of thought, he scrapped that theory. Kakashi was strong — undoubtedly so — but even he couldn't produce such a massive amount of chakra all at once. No. This was something else entirely.

Even if the Nine Tails hadn't been released, as far as Kakashi was concerned, whatever was going on with Naruto just made it to the top of his priority list — Zabuza be damned. He removed a small scroll from his vest and unfurled it, revealing sealing matrixes inside. He then slit his thumb with a kunai and dragged the bleeding digit against the interior of the scroll before sealing it shut once more.

"How about we wrap this up, Zabuza? We're both busy people," Kakashi said, concealing his worry behind a layer of bravado. He then formed a hand seal.

Zabuza chuckled through the mist, "Tempting. I'm curious to see how you intend to back up such strong words."

Summoning his chakra, Kakashi had only his team in his thoughts.

* * *

Both Sayuri and Haku paused in their battle when they sensed a malevolent chakra envelope the bridge, with the former assuming that it must be Zabuza, and the latter honestly having no clue. Haku felt a chill creep up his spine as the vile chakra polluted his senses like an unwelcome guest. On the other hand, Sayuri's heart began pounding in her chest as her body began to subconsciously produce adrenaline. Pushing aside the uneasy feeling that the chakra gave them, the two teens continued their fight.

Up until this point, their battle would be best described as an elaborate dance. With each move that one of them made, the other reacted perfectly and with grace. It would be beautiful to behold if not for the blood and needles littering Sayuri's body. There was no pain, though, only a developing numbness, which indicated that her time in this battle was shortening by the second. Sayuri needed to end this soon, but she wasn't sure how. They had reached an impasse, with neither really able to do any damage against the other.

Upon further inspecting the mirrors that surrounded her, Sayuri realized that no matter how fast she was, Haku would be able to retreat from one mirror to another at near-instantaneous speed. He moved faster than any shuriken, or fireball could travel. By the time her attack landed, Sayuri was already being forced to identify where Haku's counterattack would be coming from.

"Do you know why our battle has reached a stalemate?" Haku asked. "It's because neither of us truly desires to kill the other."

"And what makes you say that?" Sayuri asked, attempting to buy some time. She slinked her hand behind her back and began rummaging through her weapon pouch and counted eight kunai, twelve shuriken, and only one low-impact paper bomb.

If Haku was aware of the delay tactic, he refused to interfere, "Your demeanor," he replied as if it were obvious. "I sense no malice from you, even though I'm your enemy."

Sayuri frowned. Throughout the battle, she hadn't placed all that much consideration in her body language. She was far more concerned with actually staying alive.

"And let me guess. If you wanted to kill me, I'd be dead already?" Sayuri responded. It sounded like the kind of thing that an empathetic villain would say.

The silence that followed her question essentially provided the answer that she had been expecting. Sayuri wasn't sure if it was just arrogance on Haku's part, or if it was true that she was only still alive based on a whim. Regardless, it changed nothing. If Haku was going easy on her, she'd make him pay for that mistake. He'd receive no mercy from her.

"This battle will be decided the moment one of us resigns to taking the other's life," Haku confessed. "I'm struggling with that realization."

"Then why don't you just make this easy on yourself and surrender?" Sayuri asked, genuinely curious. If this guy was such a softie, why was he fighting her in the first place? Why did he even want to kill the bridge builder?

Based on his reaction, it was clear that Sayuri's suggestion was something that Haku had considered himself, "I'm sorry, but I can't," he said. "I am Master Zabuza's tool — his weapon. And since you have chosen to stand between him and his goal, then that makes you my enemy. Even if I have no desire to hurt you."

A tool? What wonderful self-image. Sayuri couldn't imagine a life where she lived in service to another person. Sure, she followed the orders of the Hokage and her sensei, but she hardly considered them to be her masters. The only person that stood as the master of her life was her, and the fact that this guy was so willing to basically sell his soul to another person was, frankly, baffling.

"Well, for a tool, you sure do talk a lot," Sayuri retorted before pulling her hand out of her weapon pouch and retrieving a handful of shuriken.

Seeing that Sayuri was about to execute an attack, Haku allowed three senbon to slip out from his sleeve, and he threw them directly for his opponent's exposed neck. The attack was intercepted by Sayuri's shuriken. Before the weapons could fall to the ground, Sayuri disappeared in a flash of speed. She then inexplicably appeared directly in front of the exact mirror that Haku was hiding in, much to his shock.

'She can see me?' Haku thought in shock before realizing that he needed to move. Using his superior speed, he made to brush past her but was shocked when his wrist was grabbed before he could make his way to another mirror.

Sayuri gripped Haku's wrist in a vice and pulled him toward her with a kunai in her other hand. Before Haku was able to mount much of any resistance, the weapon was plunged into his heart. The feeling of her kunai meeting Haku's flesh certainly felt real enough, and it took a moment for Sayuri to realize just what she had managed to do.

She'd taken a life.

The sound of Haku's blood pooling onto the ground knocked Sayuri out of her trance, and for a moment, she hesitated to look. However, once she did, she was shocked to see that there wasn't actually any blood at all — only water.

'He replaced himself with a clone!' Sayuri realized as the clone reverted back to water. She turned her head to see Haku looming behind her, senbon in hand.

Realizing her vulnerable position, Sayuri made to retreat but found that she was unable to move. Looking down, she was shocked to see that the water from the dispelled clone had frozen over around her feet. With Sayuri immobilized, Haku quickly closed the distance and stabbed senbon into her neck. Sayuri's eyes widened in pain, and her body tensed as she appeared to lose control over her limbs.

Beneath his mask, Haku frowned, "I'm sorry," he said, softly.

"I'm not."

Haku's eyes widened in shock, and he spun around on a dime to see Sayuri blitzing him from behind. Before he could react, he was struck in the head with an open palm and then kicked in the chest, resulting in him tumbling to the other end of the crystal ice dome. While the blow's force was indeed painful, Haku was surprised that his opponent hadn't attempted something more lethal. After rising back to his feet, he looked at the "Sayuri" he had captured and watched as it faded away before his eyes.

"Sharingan genjutsu," Haku assessed. "You got me."

Haku paused when he noticed the smirk plastered over Sayuri's face. He was then alerted to a sizzling sound and realized that it was originating from his forehead. Initial confused, Haku's eyes quickly widened before a small explosion destroyed his mask and caused his head to snap back from the sheer force before he collapsed onto the ground. The control he had been maintaining over his jutsu was unsurprisingly interrupted, and the crystal ice mirrors shattered into pieces — along with Haku's mask.

Sayuri approached her injured opponent with a kunai in hand, prepared to deliver the final blow — if it was even necessary. The paper bomb she had used was relatively weak, but it was still an explosive. Nobody could survive a point-blank explosion like that directly in front of their face — even if they were wearing a mask.

Before Sayuri could get in close, she was shocked to see Haku begin lifting himself back up from the ground. His back was facing her, but as he rose to his feet, Sayuri could see the pieces of his mask crumbling onto the ground. Astounded that Haku was actually alive, she wasn't quite sure what to expect when he turned around.

The first thing Sayuri noticed was the fact that Haku seemed to have sustained surprisingly little damage to his face, despite her best efforts. It was only after coming to this realization that Sayuri noticed that he looked somewhat familiar. Haku had a rather feminine face, with brown eyes and pale skin. His expression was melancholic, and his face was framed by long-brown hair that appeared almost womanly. Sayuri immediately recognized him, and her blood ran cold.

"You're the boy from the woods," Sayuri muttered in shock.

* * *

After Mangetsu transformed back into his body, he watched in morbid fascination as a putrid, red chakra began to envelop Naruto's body. Nobody could survive a bullet through the chest like that, not even a monster like Zabuza. And yet, despite all logic, Mangetsu saw the various wounds that littered Naruto's body begin to heal before his very eyes.

'What the hell?' Mangetsu thought to himself, having never seen anything like it before. This was different from his ability, which prevented him from taking any physical damage in the first place. This boy was instantly regenerating actual wounds that would kill an ordinary person.

Once his injures had been healed, Naruto slowly rose back to his feet. When Mangetsu was finally able to see his eyes, he nearly dropped his blade in surprise. He was met with a stare that could only be described as demonic, with crimson, slitted eyes. Naruto's demeanor was completely different now as well. Any uncertainty that was present in his stance had vanished. He now had the look of someone who held insurmountable power at his fingertips.

Mangetsu smirked, "Well, it looks like the Hidden Leaf Village has demons too."

Without a word, Naruto lunged forward like a wild animal. Mangetsu was stunned by the sheer speed of his advance but opted not to move as a clawed hand struck his head. An explosion of water was all it amounted to, and Naruto wasn't going to be pleased until he saw blood. He slashed and clawed without thought or concern for his own wellbeing. Mangetsu took it all, feeling no need to resist as his body was scattered all over the bridge.

Naruto's teeth gritted in rage when he saw that water flowed where blood should have. Despite having been ripped limb from limb, Mangetsu's body began to reform itself as it had done many other times during their fight. Realizing that he was allowing his mind to be influenced by the rage of the Nine Tails, Naruto tried to calm himself down. He needed to make use of the beast's power without allowing his mind to be twisted. Strength wasn't what he needed for this fight — it was cunning. This power would merely enable him to execute his strategy.

"You could cut me to pieces and scatter my parts at every corner of the planet, and I'd still manage to put myself back together again," Mangetsu remarked, his voice laced with intrigue. "You're not the only freak here, kid."

"I will be soon."

"Ooooh, spoken like a scary monster," Mangetsu mocked, not at all intimidated by the chakra the emanated from Naruto. "But I think we both know that you don't mean it. Even with chakra like that, I can tell that you don't have the stomach for it."

Closing his eyes, Naruto took in a slow breath. He felt the rage that had infiltrated his body slowly began to dissipate. However, just before it left him completely, he latched onto it. What he needed now was controlled anger, one where his actions were executed with supreme power but also conducted by a rational mind. He would use the Nine Tails' chakra to his advantage, but he wouldn't allow it to consume him entirely. All of his training up until this day had prepared him for this moment.

Seeing that Naruto was beginning to calm down, Mangetsu's stance relaxed — though he remained on guard, "I know you're pissed that I hurt your friend, but I gave her the chance to walk away. It's her fault for not taking it," Mangetsu explained. "You see, my job was to kill the bridge builder, not fight with you, but I just couldn't help myself. Master Zabuza would be so frustrated by my lack of self-control. I'm sure that you can relate."

Naruto frowned.

"I could see the look in your eye. You thirst for the opportunity to prove your worth in battle," Mangetsu continued. "I live to surpass Master Zabuza, and I'll do anything to ensure that I become a shinobi worthy of his legacy — even if that means disobeying his orders. If I'm to become a monster, then that's fine. Because in the end, that's what I have to do to become like him. What is it that you strive for, I wonder?"

Having no desire to continue speaking, Naruto performed the clone seal, and dozens upon dozens of copies of himself — each also possessing the Nine Tails' chakra, surrounded Mangetsu. Familiar with the shadow clone jutsu and how it worked, Mangetsu couldn't help but marvel at the number of clones that Naruto created. The chakra required for such an incredible feat was immense. Still, numbers were irrelevant against him. One hundred strikes were just as ineffective against his jutsu as a single one was.

"Do you still merely wish to see me bleed, or have you resigned yourself to killing me?"

Naruto and his clones ignored the question, and they immediately swarmed Mangetsu in an attempt to overwhelm him. Despite being woefully outnumbered, Mangetsu delt with the clones with ease. The way that he was able to maneuver his body and time his strikes at the perfect moment was something to behold. It proved that he wasn't over-reliant on unique jutsu.

Suddenly, Naruto proceeded to dispel the jutsu, resulting in the clones each bursting into a smoke cloud that overwhelmed Mangetsu's vision. Realizing that this had been the entire reason that Naruto created the clones in the first place, Mangetsu moved to flee the smoke but was stopped when something wrapped around his ankle. He looked down in surprise to see that it was a red chakra chain. Before he could react any further, several other chains burst into his field of view and proceeded to restrain him.

"Advent of Creation: Binding Chains."

Once the smoke from the dispelled clones fully dissipated, Mangetsu followed the length of the chains and saw that they each extended from Naruto's lower back. The blond genin had his hands pressed together with a look of extreme concentration plastered over his face. It was clear that this jutsu was incredibly taxing — whatever it was. Still, it was nothing that he couldn't handle. Chains — no matter how strong — could never hope to restrain him.

Mangetsu then attempted to activate his Hydrification jutsu but was shocked when nothing happened. It was only then that he noticed that he didn't feel his chakra at all. He looked back at Naruto and realized that he must have been using a jutsu that entirely suppressed his chakra. He recalled hearing stories about such jutsu being used by the Uzumaki clan. Yet, he never would have expected a genin to be capable of using one.

"I don't need to kill you. I just need to keep you from killing the old man," Naruto retorted now that he had his opponent exactly where he wanted him.

For a moment, Mangetsu appeared to be shocked. However, after seeming to process his predicament for a few moments, his expression shifted to that of amusement as he openly laughed. Having not anticipated such a reaction, Naruto frowned in preparation to discover that his jutsu had somehow failed. Yet, no such declaration came, and eventually, Mangetsu's laughter slowly subsided.

"To think that I would be matched up with someone whose abilities counter mine so perfectly," Mangetsu said with a smirk. "I should have fought the Uchiha girl instead and let Haku deal with you."

"She would have found a way to defeat you as well. Trust me," Naruto assured, knowing from experience just how skilled Sayuri was. "Fact is, you've lost, and that's all there is to it."

Mangetsu seemed to weigh Naruto's word before eventually nodding in agreement, "I suppose you're right. There's no room for excuses in war," he replied before looking Naruto directly in his eyes. "Have you considered what I said earlier, or were you not paying attention?"

Somewhat surprised at how well Mangetsu was taking his defeat, Naruto frowned in apparent contemplation, "Justice for my family," he stated simply. "That's what I fight for."

"Justice against who?"

Naruto didn't answer.

"Well, I guess it's none of my business anyway," Mangetsu relented with a fanged smile. "I imagine that if someone were to kill Master Zabuza or Haku, then I would be motivated by revenge as well. But still, that's so dull."

"Why do you care anyway?" Naruto retorted. He was less interested in what Mangetsu wanted to say and was more curious about why he was so chatty in the first place. "You seem to have a lot to talk about."

Mangetsu's smile grew, "This will probably be the last conversation that I'll ever have, so I'm trying to make it count."

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise. Mangetsu was so confident that he would meet his end here and was shockingly causal about his apparent impending death. In the heat of battle, anything could happen, but the fight between Naruto and Mangetsu was over. Killing Mangetsu now when he was defenseless would be no better than cold-blooded murder — at least in Naruto's eyes.

"I won't kill you," Naruto responded.

"Who said that you were going to be the one to do it?"

Much to Naruto's horror, Mangetsu arched his neck forward and placed his jugular directly above one of the many spikes located on the chakra chains that were keeping him subdued. Suicide, seriously? Naruto had never considered that his opponent would consider that as an option, especially considering just how carefree he seemed to be.

"I can't risk being used as a hostage against my master — nor can I live with the shame of failing him," Mangetsu said. Naruto noticed that his smile was then tinged by a touch of sadness. "Though, in the end, I'd at least hoped that I could have made him proud and become the inheritor of his legacy."

Naruto made to scream out, but before he did, Mangetsu dragged his neck against the chain, and blood immediately began to pour out. Mangetsu's eyes then widened due to the sheer amount of blood being pumped out of his neck, and his body slumped over as he began to be sapped of his remaining strength.

The Nine Tails chakra immediately vanished from Naruto's system, along with the chakra chains that were keeping Mangetsu standing. Mangetsu immediately collapsed face-first onto the ground, where the blood from his wound began pooling. Naruto merely watched in stunned silence as he realized what he had just witnessed. He'd never considered that someone would go to such extreme lengths to avoid capture. And yet, a small part of him was sure that this was what shinobi were expected to do when captured.

In the end, he decided that he wasn't satisfied to have made Mangetsu bleed after all.

* * *

Once Kakashi had gathered the necessary chakra, he performed four hand seals with the scroll still in his hands. Once he was finished, he slammed the scroll into the ground with enough force to generate cracks. The fuinjutsu scrawled within the scroll then began to leak out of the sides before eventually ceasing altogether.

"Summoning Jutsu: Earth Style Fanged Pursuit."

The was a suspenseful silence in the mist as Zabuza waited patiently for Kakashi's jutsu to take effect. Whatever it was, he was confident that he would be able to handle it well enough. In his eyes, he'd already seen the best that Kakashi had to offer during their first encounter, and this time things were going to end much differently.

"Pointless, don't you think?" Zabuza's voice echoed from all directions. "A jutsu is useless if you can't actually see the target."

Further back in the mist, Zabuza was forming a seal of his own and focusing. He knew exactly where Kakashi was, and was waiting for the opportune moment to strike, "I've got you exactly where I want you. How disappointing, Kakashi," he taunted. "But in the end, I can't help but agree with you. It's time to end this."

Suddenly, there was a low rumbling that made Zabuza freeze in place. The sensation quickly grew to become more powerful and it was much too late when Zabuza finally realized what was happening. A dog suddenly burst out of the ground and bit at his left leg. Zabuza managed to avoid the first bite, but then a number of other dogs — all varying in size — burst out of the concrete and seized him in their jaws. The pain was an afterthought as he realized that he was completely immobilized.

Kakashi rose back to his feet once he realized that his jutsu had been a success. The mist slowly began to fade, and he saw that Zabuza was wholly incapacitated by his shinobi dogs. The largest of the pack, Bull, was perched over Zabuza's back, with his jaws clamped down on his left shoulder. That would certainly leave that arm out of commission — which Kakashi imagined would have been problematic for Zabuza if not for the fact that he wouldn't be leaving this bridge alive.

"I realized that I would have to track you by sent in the mist, which is why I allowed my hounds to sniff some of your blood from our first battle," Kakashi explained, revealing that he had done more than just recover over the past week. "I've got you exactly where I want you. How disappointing, Zabuza."

Zabuza glared as he heard his own words from earlier repeated to him, "Are you going to shut up or keep talking?" he growled.

"I haven't decided yet," Kakashi replied. At this point the mist had cleared completely, and Kakashi closed the distance between himself and Zabuza until they were standing face-to-face. "I think it's good to let my hounds sink their teeth into something every once in a while, you know?"

As if to demonstrate that they could understand their master completely, each of the shinobi dogs bit down slightly harder, causing Zabuza to grit his teeth under his mask.

"All that ambition and look where it got you," Kakashi continued, comfortable with where things stood in the fight. "You seem like the type who never knows when to call it quits. I heard about how you attempted to kill the Mizukage and stage a coup d 'état. When that failed, you were forced to abandon your country, and you became a missing-nin known even in the Hidden Leaf Village."

It was no surprise that Kakashi was aware of his background. Still, Zabuza was pained by the reminder of his greatest failure. None of this would even be necessary if his plan had been successful all those years ago. Now he was always living on the move, never knowing if tomorrow would mark the end of his life.

"And since you're apparently a glutton for punishment, you want to try again," Kakashi deduced. "But for that, you need money. So you've stooped to serving at the beck and call of someone like Gatō."

"If you knew the kind of man that the Mizukage is, you wouldn't be looking down on my ambition," Zabuza responded gravely.

Not all that interested Zabuza's opinion, Kakashi decided that now was a good a time as any to end things, "I think I've given you enough time to process your demise," he said. "Now, I think it's time that I show you a jutsu that I didn't copy."

Kakashi then proceeded to form the seals of the ox, rabbit, and then monkey, before gripping his right wrist. Lightning then began to gather and flicker in his hand, much to Zabuza's shock. Eventually the lightning chakra started to gather in such a highly concentrated quaintly that Kakashi's entire right hand was completely enveloped in it.

"Lightning Blade!"

Zabuza watched the jutsu in awe. He had never seen someone display such skill in manipulating such a devastating concentration of chakra before. It was to the point that Kakashi was literally holding the most chaotic of the five elemental chakra natures in his hand as if it were nothing. Zabuza had heard before that Kakashi had mastery over lighting. Still, he would have never suspected that it would be to this degree.

Midst the crackling of the lightning, Kakashi spoke, "Whatever your reasons may be, I won't allow you to kill Tazuna. He's a hero who's trying to save his country and his people," he declared. "Killing someone like that for profit is not the way of the shinobi. You're a glorified bandit who doesn't care for anyone but yourself."

"Well, you're right about one thing. I don't care," Zabuza confessed with a grin. "Why should I care about the wants and needs of these strangers? Tazuna isn't the only person that's trying to save his country."

The lightning chakra in Kakashi's hand began to fluctuate even more, "If I were you, I wouldn't waste your final thoughts on a dream that won't ever come to fruition," he retorted. "Your foolish goal dies with you."

Without another word, Kakashi charged forward and prepared to plunge his Lightning Blade through Zabuza's heart.

* * *

Even though he had risen to his feet, Haku appeared utterly defeated. The battle had been hard-fought, with both he and Sayuri gaining an advantage over one another multiple times. Yet, in the end, the Sharingan prevailed. If not for the fact that Haku managed to form a layer of ice on top of his skin to defend against that explosion, he would have almost certainly been killed. And yet, despite managing to survive, he felt no triumph.

"You…You're the boy who was picking herbs with Naruto," Sayuri said.

Haku smiled sadly under his mask at the rather pleasant memory, "So, you were the one who was spying on us?" he replied, revealing that he'd noticed Sayuri's presence in the forest.

If not for the seriousness of the situation, Sayuri would have grown red in the face at the prospect of being caught in the act. Even for an enemy that she would probably never need to see again in her life, she still didn't want anyone getting the wrong impression about the whole "eavesdropping" situation. It was an accident, dammit!

"We're you planning on killing Naruto that day?" Sayuri asked, feeling that it was the most obvious answer.

Almost predictably, Haku shook his head, "I merely sought to retrieve medicinal herbs for Master Zabuza," he explained. "But I'll admit that the thought crossed my mind. In the end, however, I couldn't bring myself to do it. That's my weakness, I suppose."

"There's nothing strong about killing a defenseless person," Sayuri retorted, knowing from personal experience. "If Zabuza taught you that, then he's wrong."

Despite having his master's philosophy openly questioned, Haku didn't refute anything that Sayuri had said. He more than likely shared her sentiment but still desired to please Zabuza. It would explain the look of constant pain that was plastered over his face. Haku wasn't made for war; he was too kind. Yet, he forced himself to do things that he didn't want and work for people that he despised, all so that he could serve Zabuza. Sayuri imagined that it was a miserable existence, but it must have been better than whatever Haku had lived before; otherwise, he wouldn't have taken to it so passionately.

"You are like us, are you not?" Haku asked before clarifying. "Like Naruto and me."

Sayuri didn't respond. Her silence was answer enough.

"Then I will ask you the same question that I asked him, and once you've answered, you may do what you must," Haku said, resigning himself to his fate. "Do you have something precious that you want to protect?"

There was silence as Sayuri considered Haku's words. Initially, she made to say no, but then she thought about the last few weeks. She recalled meeting her team for the first time. In the beginning, she felt that they would be weights around her ankles, but after spending time with them, she'd be lying if she said that they hadn't grown on her. Kakashi was surprisingly competent, skilled, and an excellent teacher. Sakura was kind and considerate and had far more potential than she probably realized. And finally, there was Naruto…

"Yes, I do," Sayuri responded after extensive thought and consideration.

The smile that spread across Haku's face was absent of any of the sadness that had been present in it earlier, "Then I have no doubt that you will continue to become strong."

Silence then reigned on the bridge with a tension that was thick, like oil. Neither Sayuri nor Haku spoke, but it was clear that they both knew what would happen next. Nevertheless, Sayuri was hardly jumping for joy. The kunai in her hand felt oddly heavy, to the point that a part of her was considering actually dropping it to the ground.

"Do I have to?" Sayuri spoke, lowly — though Haku was able to hear her clearly.

Haku inclined his head ever so slightly, "One of us has to win, and in my current condition, I have no way of defeating you," he said. "However, if you refuse to kill me, I can't promise that I will grant you the same luxury. So long as I continue to breathe, I will do so in service to Master Zabuza."

After swallowing a lump in her throat, Sayuri looked down at the kunai in her hands and, for the first time, saw it for what it was — a weapon used for killing. In fact, most of the jutsu and skills that she had learned throughout her life were designed to take life. So why was she so hesitant? It was as Haku said. It was her or him.

Sayuri then began to take slow steps toward Haku, who stood like a statue. The fact that he was allowing it to happen made the entire situation feel much worse. Haku was so gentle that he would literally let a person murder him before he could bring himself to do the same. Sayuri recalled Haku saying earlier that he would kill her if she didn't kill him. Yet, she was almost sure that he was just saying it to make her decision easier.

In the end, despite how weird it seemed, this was what Haku wanted. He couldn't bring himself to go to the lengths of service that his master desired, so he preferred to die altogether. It was insane that the prospect of merely surrendering and living a new life wasn't even being considered by him. For Haku, there were only two acceptable outcomes. A life with Zabuza or death.

Steeling her nerves, Sayuri lunged forward and prepared to stab Haku through the chest. However, at the last second, Haku reached out and caught Sayuri's wrist, preventing the kunai from striking through. Initially, Sayuri thought that she had been deceived and that she would be attacked. Yet, she paused when she noticed Haku looking over his shoulder with wide eyes. After a few moments of the duo just standing there, Haku released Sayuri's wrist and offered a small smile.

"I'm sorry, but it seems that I can't die just yet."

And with that, Haku disappeared.

* * *

With the mist having full faded from the bridge, Sakura managed to get a general idea of what was happening. The main thing she noticed was that the dome of ice mirrors had dissipated. She then saw Sayuri and Haku facing each other, with the latter having lost his mask. Sakura was unable to see Kakashi or Naruto, as they were too far down the bridge, and she began to worry about their wellbeing.

Suddenly, Haku vanished from view, leaving Sayuri alone. For a moment, Sakura wondered what was happening before realizing that now was her opportunity to help her friend. She looked toward Tazuna for approval and received a quick nod. They then grabbed each other's hands and ran to Sayuri's side, being careful not to be attacked by anyone on the way.

Once they made it to their destination, they found Sayuri standing in stunned silence. To be frank, she looked exhausted and beat up, and it was a marvel that she was even standing up on her own. Now that she realized that the battle was over and that her enemy was gone, Sayuri's legs began to wobble, and she lost balance. However, before she could hit the ground, Sakura caught her gently.

"Sayuri!" Sakura shouted in worry, seeing all of the needles that littered his teammate's body. "Hold on, I'll help you."

A bit overwhelmed at where to start, Sakura eventually chose a senbon and pulled it out of Sayuri's flesh. Expectedly, the young Uchiha flinched, and Sakura immediately felt guilty for having caused the pain. She then removed a few more of the senbon placed in particularly problematic areas — such as around the chest and neck. After doing so, Sakura gulped as she decided to try something that she never had before.

"Alright, hold still. I'll try to make it better," Sakura assured. "Once we've dealt with these few of the open wounds, we can take the rest of the senbon out. We shouldn't do it all at once, okay?"

Sayuri nodded, almost despondently, and Sakura realized that she probably wasn't going to get much in the way of conversation. That was to be expected, though. Sayuri had just taken part in an intense battle, and as far as Sakura knew, she may have even been close to death on more than one occasion. That wasn't something that people came out of acting peachy — and Sayuri wasn't usually very talkative, to begin with.

"Okay, here I go," Sakura muttered before concentrating and focusing chakra into her palm. After a few moments, her hand was overtaken by a pale-green aura, and Sakura smiled at the success.

With the jutsu now complete, Sakura began to hover her hand over some of Sayuri's wounds. At first, she didn't notice a change, but then she saw that the less serious cuts were already beginning to slowly heal. After a few minutes, the more severe puncture wounds began to finally start closing up as well. In the end, only the blood and holes in Sayuri's clothing to indicate that she was ever wounded. Once Sakura was finished, she deactivated the jutsu and let out a tired sigh. She looked at the remaining senbon sticking out of Sayuri's body and resolved to take care of the rest next.

"Sakura."

Hearing Sayuri actually speak nearly caused Sakura to jump out of her skin.

"Yes?" Sakura asked, hoping that her jutsu hadn't hurt her teammate somehow.

"Thank you."

A warm smile spread over Sakura's face, and she stealthily reached up to rub away the tears that were quickly beginning to bud in her eyes.

"You're welcome."

* * *

Kakashi looked on in shock as his Lightning Blade failed to strike his intended target. At the last moment, Zabuza's underling, Haku, appeared out of nowhere, utilizing incredible speed to place himself between the fatal attack and his master. In the process, Haku took the damage himself, creating a horrid image of Kakashi's arm going through his chest. Yet, despite the obvious trauma, the boy managed to raise his hands and grip Kakashi's arm in a vice. An ice mirror was revealed the be at Kakashi's side. In the reflection, he noted that he looked like the villain in this scenario.

The summoned shinobi hounds that had been holding Zabuza in place subsequently dispelled in puffs of smoke. Kakashi glanced down at his summoning scroll to see there were senbon piercing it, which resulted in the connection between him and the creatures being severed. He inwardly cursed. Using a scroll as a medium to summon was a strategy he employed to prevent himself from using chakra in battle. However, the weakness was that the scroll was needed to maintain the jutsu due to the chakra stored inside. Haku had been the first to ever exploit that weakness.

Zabuza was stunned by the display, confirming to Kakashi that this act of self-sacrifice had not been planned. Kakashi's Lightning Blade then dissipated, though Haku's grip remained firm, keeping the Copy Ninja in place. There was barely any light still flickering in Haku's eyes, indicating that he didn't have much longer.

"Strikethrough us both, Master Zabuza," Haku requested, with his voice fittingly sounding as though he was on the brink of death.

Suddenly ordered out of his trance, Zabuza scowled before grabbing the hilt of his blade. Kakashi's eyes widened when he realized that Zabuza was actually going to go through with it, and he grabbed Haku's body in preparation to get away. The blade was mere inches away from hitting them before Kakashi managed to separate with a well-timed body flicker. His eyes then narrowed when he noticed that Zabuza seemed slower than before — more hesitant.

Zabuza smirked behind his wraps, "Nice move, Kakashi," he complimented, though the smile did not reach his eyes. "You're quick even while holding a body."

Sakura and Sayuri were seated, not all that far away. Sakura continued to help remove the various senbon needles from Sayuri's body to eventually heal the wounds. They watched in shock, having just witnessed the death of one of their primary adversaries. The weight of the development was particularly heavy on Sayuri, seeing as she was the one who had just been engaged in mortal combat with Haku in the first place. Now, the boy was dead.

With the mist now dissipated, Naruto was revealed in the distance. Sakura couldn't find her voice when she saw the blood and tears that riddled her his clothing, but she was relieved to know that he was actually alive and seemingly well. Sayuri's focus extended a bit further out to see Naruto's opponent lying face-down on the ground in a pool of his own blood. With her Sharingan, she was able to see that his body was no longer producing chakra, which indicated that he was dead. This meant that Zabuza was the only one left.

"Let's go to Naruto," Sayuri said, softly. Her voice was clearly haggard due to the strain of battle, but she was still as authoritative as ever.

Sakura bit her lip in hesitation and turned over her shoulder to face Tazuna. Their mission was to protect him, and she's already taken enough risk by bringing him over to Sayuri in the first place.

"I'll go with you. That way, you'll still be following your orders," Tazuna spoke up, clearly able to pick up on her worry.

With the only approval she really needed, Sakura assisted Sayuri back to her feet. The trio made a slow advance to Naruto's position. Sakura made sure to keep her eyes placed securely on Kakashi and Zabuza to ensure that they didn't get in the way of their sensei's fight. The last thing they needed was for Zabuza to take one of them hostage to force Kakashi's hand.

Meanwhile, Kakashi placed Haku's corpse down on the bridge and frowned when he looked into the boy's dead eyes. In a sign of respect, he closed Haku's eyelids. Using the tragedy as a form of motivation, Kakashi stood to his feet and glared at Zabuza. The man stood for everything he opposed. His apparent willingness to disregard his comrades' lives made him worse than trash in Kakashi's eyes. He'd make sure he got what he deserved.

"What bit you in the ass, Kakashi?" Zabuza inquired in an attempt to get under his skin. "Can you really call yourself a shinobi if you feel pity for an enemy?"

"You don't know the first thing about what a shinobi is," Kakashi countered. The assurance in his voice made Zabuza grit his teeth.

It was this elitist idealism that led most people from his village to hate Hidden Leaf shinobi. For the most part, they thought that they were better than everyone else. Despite participating in every single Shinobi World War, they had themselves convinced that they were pacifists. They benefited from the fact that they were located at the center of the wealthiest nation on the continent. Therefore, they could afford to be merciful. However, shinobi from his village — and many others for that matter — were not afforded that luxury and had to steel their hearts to survive.

That's what a true shinobi was — someone who was willing to kill the joy inside their hearts in service to their master.

Feeling decidedly enraged, Zabuza wielded his Executioner's Blade in his only remaining good arm and charge at Kakashi. No more mist. No more misdirection. He was going to tear this bastard asunder there and now. Kakashi was quick to advance forward as well, meeting him head-on at every exchange. With each attempt, Zabuza would grow more and more fatigued, and his chances of victory were dwindling with every second. Though, deep down, he already knew that the fight was over.

* * *

Not too far back from their battle, Sayuri, Sakura, and Tazuna finally reached Naruto. Despite looking as though he'd been shoved through a meat grinder, he appeared mostly uninjured and unfatigued. When compared to Sayuri, his posture hardly even reflected that he'd been in a battle. Perhaps because she noticed this difference, Sayuri removed Sakura's arm from her shoulder and stood independently. After a momentary lapse of balance due to the wobbliness of her legs, Sayuri steadied herself and managed to stand on her own two feet.

"You won?" Sayuri asked as if it was the only thing she was concerned about.

Naruto's looked down at the body of Mangetsu before nodding joylessly. He supposed it was a victory, but it certainly didn't feel like one, "You?" he replied.

Seeing the lack of enthusiasm in his eyes, Sayuri was reminded of her own disappointment. Her first real deathmatch hadn't been at all what she'd expected. There was no triumph in the victory she'd been granted. Sayuri was unsure whether or not she was upset or relieved that the burden of taking Haku's life was taken away from her at the last moment.

"The boy I fought — Haku," Sayuri began, getting Naruto's attention. "He's the one from the woods."

It was clear that Naruto immediately recognized the person to which Sayuri was referring. He looked back over toward Kakashi and Zabuza's position and, for the first time, focused directly on Haku's face. His eyes widened when he noted the clearly beautiful, feminine features of the boy's face. He appeared different in dress, but the kind, yet sad smile eternally frozen on his face was all too familiar.

Sayuri was right. The corpse laying not even ten feet away from him was the very same herbalist he'd met merely two days ago. He recalled what Haku said about protecting someone precious and realized that he must have decided to give his life in exchange for Zabuza's based on those ideals.

"Oh."

Who knew that victory could feel so hollow?

Suddenly, Zabuza was sent flying back by a powerful back fist from Kakashi, resulting in him landing next to Mangetsu's body. Upon struggling to his feet, he initially failed to notice his subordinate's corpse, but after a moment, he finally did. Despite his best efforts to conceal his emotions, Zabuza couldn't stop his eyes from widening once more. Whether it be Haku's self-sacrifice or Mangetsu's shocking defeat, he wasn't sure how he should feel. Haku had been his loyal guardian, and Mangetsu was to be the inheritor of his blade and will. What was left for him now?

"Now, do you see?" Kakashi said, having closed in on Zabuza once more. "Everything you thought you were fighting for was a lie, and now you've just realized that your true purpose had been taken away from you."

Despite how cruel his words may have sounded, Kakashi clearly didn't take any pleasure in what he was saying. Whether someone was an enemy or not, nobody deserved to see everyone precious to them killed off — even if that person refused to acknowledge that they ever cared in the first place. Zabuza's words may have depicted a cruel, uncaring man, but his body language told a completely different story.

Kakashi continued, "You wonder why your movements have slowed, and your senses have dulled?" he said. "It's not just because you're injured, but because you have nothing to fight for anymore."

"Shut up."

"It only took your subordinates dying for you to realize just how much you actually cared for them," Kakashi said, ignoring Zabuza's warning.

As if given a second wind, Zabuza lunged forward and attempted to cleave Kakashi in two. Using his opponent's momentum against him, Kakashi merely avoided the attack and vaulted over Zabuza to land directly in front of his team. However, as he did so, he managed to plunge two kunai into Zabuza's right arm, virtually eliminating his ability to form hand seals or wield his blade.

Zabuza's Executioner's Blade clattered to the ground, and his arms hung limply at his sides. Instead of turning around and attacking Kakashi once more, Zabuza's gaze remained fixed on Haku. At this point, the outcome of this battle had become even more obvious than before. Even Zabuza could recognize that there was no hope left for him. He had lost.

However, even though their battle seemed to be finished, the war seemed to be just getting started. The sound of a cane slamming on concrete suddenly echoed throughout the surrounding area, revealing that a new party had arrived.

"Well, well, Zabuza. You look like hammered shit," Gatō taunted, with a legion of armed thugs gathered behind him. "I have to say, you disappoint me."

Team 7 looked on in shock, though Kakashi was far more measured. Based on Tazuna's reaction to this new figure, it was likely that he was Gatō. He looked roughly the same as everyone pictured him in their minds but seeing his vile smirk in person still managed to fill them all with disgust. So, this was the man who wanted to ruin this country for good?

"Gatō?" Zabuza replied, confirming Team 7's suspicions and revealing that he was just as taken off guard as they were. "What the hell is this? What's going on?"

Gatō chuckled in amusement, "Well, you see, there's been a slight change of plans," he explained. "I crunched the numbers, and I've come to the conclusion that you're too expensive. So, I've decided to remove you from the payroll."

Zabuza appeared stunned, "What?"

"That being said, these men that I've brought with me aren't cheap either. So, do me a favor and try to take as many with you as you can before you kick the bucket." Gatō continued before observing Zabuza's sorry state. "Think you can manage that, Demon of the Mist? Right now, you look as demonic as a wet kitten."

The thugs at Gatō's back laughed uproariously at the ridicule. Meanwhile, Team 7 watched the new development with caution. Frankly, things were more complicated now than they were before. They'd traded an already half-dead opponent and replaced him with an army of well-rested mercenaries. That wasn't even mentioning the fact that they were all pretty worn out from their fights as it was. Sayuri, in particular, was unsure if she would even be able to fight in her condition — not that she'd admit it if anyone asked.

"Well, Kakashi, it would seem that our fight is over," Zabuza said without turning around to face Team 7. "Since I'm no longer in Gatō's employ, Tazuna is safe from me. We have no quarrel."

Kakashi appeared weary from battle, "I suppose you're right."

While the two elite jōnin were finished deliberating, Gatō took note of Haku's corpse and smiled. He walked up to the body and looked about as pleased as someone could while looking at a dead child. He looked down at his bandaged right hand and recalled the way that Zabuza's flunky had snapped his wrist like a pair of chopsticks and scowled.

"You were so tough back then, bastard. What happened?" Gatō taunted. "I've been meaning to repay you for breaking my arm."

Then, out of nowhere, Gatō kicked Haku's corpse square in the face. The act failed to get a reaction out of Kakashi or Zabuza. Yet, Sakura flinched in discomfort, Sayuri scowled in anger, and Naruto's eyes widened in fury. With Naruto being the only offended party that was actually capable of mounting any sort of attack, he lunged forward in an attempt to separate Gatō's head from his body. With all the things Gatō had done to the people of Wave, and the disrespect that he was showing Haku's body, Naruto had a feeling that this would actually feel good.

However, before he could reach Gatō, the back of his jacket was tightly grabbed, preventing him from continuing his advance. He struggled for a brief moment before eventually conceding and glaring back at Kakashi. He then shifted his attention over to Zabuza, and his glare grew even more fierce. Despite seeing what had been done to his comrade, the Demon of the Mist did absolutely nothing and merely looked on in apathy.

"What the hell are you doing, just standing there watching?" Naruto growled. "You're going to let that bastard do that? Don't you even care that your comrades are dead?"

"Shut up, idiot. Who cares?" Zabuza retorted, once more refusing to turn and face Team 7. "I merely used Haku and Mangetsu, just as Gatō used me. It would be hypocritical for me to weep for them and in the same breath curse Gatō."

Kakashi was unsure if Zabuza was trying to convince Naruto or himself.

"I already thought that you were a piece of shit, but now I'm certain," Naruto spat. Sakura was shocked by the genuine passion that her teammate was exhibiting. Kakashi tried to calm him down, but Naruto shrugged him off. "I don't care that Gatō and his cronies showed up. As far as I'm concerned, you're still the worst person standing on this bridge."

"All the time you spent with those two, and you don't even care that they're dead?" Naruto continued. He then pointed to Mangetsu's body. "You see him? He took his own life so that he couldn't be used against you. They sacrificed their lives to protect you, and you just discarded them in the end, like broken tools. Are you trying to tell me that's what a shinobi actually is? Because I'm not buying it!"

Sayuri listened closely to Naruto's words and felt his personal pain influencing each one. For someone like Naruto, who likely hadn't experienced what it felt like to be loved, it must have been infuriating to see someone like Zabuza refusing to value the people who loved him. If Naruto had someone like that in his life, he'd never let them go. Never.

With that being said, Sayuri could empathize with Naruto and Zabuza both — though she wasn't nearly vocal (or fit enough at the moment) to share those feelings with everyone. Having experienced significant loss herself, she knew better than anyone that a person shouldn't take what they had for granted. It could vanish at any moment, and you would be left with nothing. Zabuza's posture and demeanor reminded her of herself when she first overlooked the graves of her clansmen. Similarly, Sayuri tried to lie to herself to pretend that she wasn't feeling pain, all to appear strong.

It was then that Zabuza looked over his shoulder, revealing tears to be streaming down his face, "You talk too much, kid. Your words cut deep — deeper than any blade."

Everyone was shocked by the blatant showing of emotion on Zabuza's face, but none more so than Naruto, who watched in silent astonishment. He'd already reached his conclusions about Zabuza. Yet, it appeared that there was more to the missing-nin than he'd initially thought. On the other hand, Kakashi, while surprised by the tears, had long since seen through Zabuza's bravado.

"While Haku fought on this bridge today, his heart was breaking in two," Zabuza uttered, his voice filled with intense emotion. "Haku should have never been forced to become a shinobi. He was always too kind and caring. He was someone who could feel pain and sorrow, and because of him, I've come to realize that I can feel too."

Then, as if remembering a fond memory at a sad time, Zabuza chuckled sadly. "Look at me, shedding tears. To think that Mangetsu wanted to become like me. I was a terrible master when he was alive, and an even worse one now that he's dead."

Zabuza's shoulders seemed to relax as he came to some kind of realization, "And yet, I feel content that it ends this way," he said.

After a moment, Zabuza then began to bite through the wraps around his face, revealing a set of sharpened teeth, not unlike Mangetsu's. Once he was finished, he turned and looked Naruto in the eye and smirked at the boy's stunned expression. "What? Surprised to see that I'm actually human? Even shinobi are human. No matter how hard we try to escape that simple fact, we always fail. Well, at least _I_ have failed."

Despite being wary of the eventual danger that they would face, Kakashi was appreciative of the lesson that his team was learning here today. It was something that he could have told them thousands of times in the safety of the village, but only seeing it firsthand like they were now would actually make them take the lesson to heart. Shinobi were tools, and yet, they were also human. But if humans couldn't be tools, what did that make a shinobi?

That was the inherent struggle of shinobi.

"Kid," Zabuza barked out directly to Naruto. "Conjure up a kunai and toss it over."

Naruto appeared surprised by the request, but he quickly pushed the feeling down and did as he was asked. A chakra kunai appeared in his hand, and he lobbed it over at Zabuza's head. Zabuza caught the weapon in his exposed mouth and tested the density with his teeth. Satisfied with what he felt, Zabuza grinned around the handle of the chakra kunai and sprinted toward Gatō and his band of thugs.

Realizing that Zabuza wasn't nearly as harmless as he thought, Gatō retreated back to the safety of his men. Despite how intimidating Zabuza's presence still was, the group of thugs still appeared rather confident. They didn't see how some armless guy would be able to take them out with just a blade in his mouth — even if he was some famous shinobi. However, once he got within arm's reach, he took his speed up a notch and managed to slice through the first two men that he came into contact with.

The genin of Team 7 watched in awe are Zabuza managed to take out scores of armed men with a mere kunai in his mouth. With every exchange, at least one of his enemies would be killed. Even if Zabuza sustained a blow of his own, he quickly overcame the pain and continued on. Naruto watched the proceeding and his mouth straightened into a thin line. In his eyes, what he was watching now was a true shinobi — someone who endured endless pain to reach their goal. That's what he wanted to be.

Eventually, despite having a spear and a sword sticking out of his back, Zabuza made it to the end of the bridge where Gatō was waiting in horror. As the billionaire shipping tycoon watched Zabuza's advance, he saw the silhouette of a demonic creature looming in the background. Gatō then realized just what he was facing off against. This wasn't a man. This was the devil!

The moment he was within range, Zabuza plunged the kunai directly into Gatō's chest. However, he was then stabbed several times in the back by the remaining thugs that had managed to survive his onslaught. And yet, now, with multiple spears and blades piercing his back, he remained standing. Zabuza's sheer tenacity and presence was enough to make the remainder of the armed thugs back away in fear. Could this man even be killed? Was he human?

Was this a shinobi?

"You bastard," Gatō groaned with blood dripping from his mouth. "If you're so eager to join your lackeys, go ahead. But you've got no businesses dragging me with you."

Hunched over and in incredible pain, Zabuza grinned bloodily, "That's where you're mistaken, Gatō," he said, all the while staring at the blood that was pooling at his feet. "Those children…where they've gone, I can never hope to follow. You and I…"

Zabuza then musted his strength and hobbled over to Gatō, who was still struggling with the grievous nature of his own injury. He attempted to step back to avoid meeting Zabuza's gaze, but with the end of the bridge behind him, he had nowhere else to go. He urged the Demon of the Mist to stay away from him, but predictably, his cries were ignored.

"You and I wouldn't be welcome where they are now. Hell would be the only fitting end for men like us," Zabuza assured, looking thrilled by the proposition. "I can't think of a more perfect place for me — I'll fit right in. But you — well — I fear that you're in for a long and excruciating eternity!"

Zabuza then hunched over and grabbed the chakra kunai still sticking out of Gatō's chest and pulled it out with his teeth, causing blood to spurt out. He then proceeded to slash Gatō across his torso multiple times, inflicting sweet pain in the process. But he wouldn't allow it to end there. He rotated his body in an attempt to generate as much force as possible, and in the process snapped Gatō's glasses under his foot. Then, in a fitting end for the tyrant of the Land of Waves, Gatō's head was sliced clean off of his shoulders. His body then plummeted into the sea below.

Silence reigned on the bridge as everyone watching the incredible display with mixtures of shock and awe. Zabuza then turned to face the remaining thugs and glared. The look's fierceness was enough to cause all the men to take a step back in trepidation, despite the vastly superior numbers that they possessed. Zabuza then began making slow and purposeful steps forward, and the thugs parted out of his way, with none having any desire to be taken down by this demon.

The kunai in Zabuza's mouth clattered onto the ground and vanished into oblivion. With each step, his vision became cloudier and cloudier. Still, he insisted on keeping Haku and Mangetsu in his line of sight. In the end, his strength abandoned him, and he collapsed to his knees.

'You two,' Zabuza thought to himself. In his near-death state, he saw both Haku and Mangetsu standing in front of him with smiles on their faces. Zabuza knew that what he was seeing wasn't real, but he chose to believe otherwise. 'So, this is goodbye at last. Not once did I ever thank you both. Forgive me for that.'

It was then that Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Mist and A-ranked missing-nin from the Hidden Mist Village, had fallen. Naruto attempted to avert his gaze, but Kakashi placed a firm hand on his student's shoulder, urging him to do otherwise.

"Don't look away. This is how a shinobi's life ends," Kakashi explained. "Honor him."

Naruto did as he was instructed and kept his gaze fixed on Zabuza's bloodied form. At that moment, he learned an incredible lesson of what real strength was. Through Haku's words and Zabuza's actions, he now knew the man that he needed to be.

* * *

While Team 7 would have appreciated the opportunity to mourn the loss of such a worthy adversary, they were quickly reminded of the fact that they still weren't alone on the bridge. Those of Gatō's thugs that remained began to grow rowdy, and Sayuri heard rumblings of sacking the nearby town since Gatō was no longer around to pay them.

Assessing the situation, Sayuri realized that only Naruto and Kakashi were fit to continue fighting — loathed as she was to admit it. As merciful as Haku was, he still did a number on her. Sayuri imagined that it would take at least a few hours and a full night's rest before she regained feeling in some of her muscles. Recalling her injuries, she was reminded that Naruto appeared virtually unharmed despite the blood, cuts, and puncture marks that marred his clothing. Did he have iron skin, or did he just heal absurdly quickly?

"Sayuri, I still have a couple of kunai and paper bombs," Sakura spoke up. "Would you be able to throw them if the need arises?"

Almost offended that Sakura would need to even ask, Sayuri grunted in affirmation. She then looked down at Sakura's side and, for the first time, noticed the bandage that was tinged by fresh blood, "Why did you use your jutsu to heal me when you're still injured?" Sayuri asked.

Sakura seemed to perk up at the response and looked down toward her injury, almost as if she were just reminded that she had it in the first place. Having been caught red-handed, Sakura chuckled abashedly, "Well, helping you was the first time that I ever used that jutsu on anything other than a leaf."

One of Sayuri's delicate brows perked up.

"So, I was your guinea pig, then?"

Sakura waved her hands erratically, realizing the negative implication, "No, no, of course not!" she assured. "I was just like, "it's now or never". You know? And then you were all like—"

"Sakura."

"Yes?"

"I was joking."

With a shake of her head and a smirk, Sayuri continued, "As if I would get annoyed at you for helping me," she said. "Is that really something you think I would do?"

The silence from Sakura spoke volumes.

"Really?"

Sakura smiled awkwardly, "Well, you ARE pretty stubborn about letting other people help you," she explained before her smile grew warm. "But so is Naruto. You two are really similar in that way."

They both looked to the boy in question and saw that Naruto, along with Kakashi, was preparing to square off with the remainder of Gatō's thugs. While Zabuza had killed quite a few of them before his death, Team 7 was still incredibly outnumbered. The thugs couldn't use chakra, which was advantageous to them, but they were still armed to the teeth. They would definitely need to be taken seriously.

'Similar to Naruto, huh?' Sayuri thought to herself while looking at Naruto's back. A small smile then spread over her face. 'As if.'

The thugs then rallied together and prepared to charge forward but were stopped when a single arrow soared through the air and landed in their path. This alerted everyone on the bridge to a new presence. They all turned to see what could only be described as an armed mob of what seemed to be every able-bodied person in the village. Not all of their weapons were suited to battle, but their numbers were overwhelming — far superior to the thugs.

At the front of the mob stood Inari, wearing a metal cooking pot on his head with a crossbow in his hands. Sakura immediately recognized Giichi — the man who had quit working on the bridge a few days ago — standing at Inari's side with a pickaxe in his hands. Seeing everyone from his village gathering together to take a stand caused tears to build up in Tazuna's eyes.

"Everyone," Tazuna muttered before he couldn't stop the flow of tears any longer.

"If you want to reach our village, you'll have to go through all of us!" Giichi yelled, earning shouts of agreement from everyone else in the crowd.

Then, to make matters worse for the remaining thugs, both Naruto and Kakashi created dozens of shadow clones to aid in the impending battle. Thankfully, no conflict ensued, as the thugs realized that the village wasn't nearly as easy of a target as they'd anticipated it would be. Sayuri and the others watched in amusement as the thugs all attempted to board their boat to escape, with several pulling and shoving each other like crabs in a bucket.

Once the crisis was clearly fully abated, there was a celebration. While Team 7 finally let down their guards and relaxed, the people of Wave began to cheer and hug each other when they realized that their nightmare was finally over. Gatō was DEAD. None appeared happier than Inari and Tazuna, with the latter picking up his grandson and hugging him tightly.

While everyone decompressed, Kakashi's focus shifted over to Zabuza's prone form. He left his team, walked over to Zabuza's body, and removed the various swords and spears sticking out of his back. It was only upon doing so that Kakashi realized, much to his astonishment, that Zabuza was still alive. Though, it was clear that he had only minutes at best to live. If not for the fact that he was a shinobi, Kakashi was confident he would have been dead already.

"Kakashi," Zabuza muttered. Though his voice was weak, he somehow still managed to sound strong.

"Yes?"

"Take me to them."

Immediately understanding what Zabuza was requesting, Kakashi picked up the dying man and began carrying him over to Haku's body. He then exchanged a look with Naruto, who quickly got the message and leaned down, picking up Mangetsu's body with ease. Sayuri attempted to help but was stopped by Sakura, who gave her a stern look. Despite the elation of their country being free, the people of Wave all quieted down as they realized what was happening.

Naruto laid down Mangetsu's body first, and Kakashi placed Zabuza between the bodies of his two students so he could be close to both of them in the end. Inexplicably, a light snow began to fall over the bridge, even though it was entirely out of season. Zabuza internally remarked that it must have been Haku's doing before looking over the bodies of Haku and Mangetsu closely.

"I wish that I could go where you two are," Zabuza muttered with his final breath.

Everyone mourned silently, even those who weren't familiar with the fallen. Kakashi looked over the body of the man who was once his enemy. He thought that Zabuza going wherever it was that Haku and Mangetsu were wasn't such a far-fetched idea. After all, it wasn't how a person lived, but how they died that defined who they were.

* * *

Team 7 stood atop a small hill overlooking Tazuna's bridge, with three freshly marked graves — one of which had Zabuza's blade plunged in the ground directly behind it. Sakura was crouched before the wooden crosses, decorating them with flower arrangements. Meanwhile, Naruto, Sayuri, and Kakashi watched her in silence.

It had been a week since the final battle, and since then, the bridge had been completed. For the first time in their nation's history, the Land of Waves was finally connected to the mainland. With the threat of Gatō gone, pretty much every able-bodied man in the village assisted in the completion of the bridge. With the extra help, the work was finished nearly ahead of schedule.

"So, sensei, was Zabuza right?" Sakura asked after finishing with the grave markers. "Are shinobi just tools?"

"Pretty much, yeah," Kakashi replied causally, causing Sakura's shoulders to sag. "It's something you think about a lot in the beginning, but eventually, you'll just come to accept it. That's just the way that things are."

With a small frown, Sakura nodded in understanding. It wasn't like she had the right to complain or anything. She chose to be a shinobi, and at no point was she lied to about what such a career would entail. The instructors at the Academy would regularly explain the dangers of being a shinobi. It was only after Sakura's first real mission that she finally took those warnings to heart.

"You can believe that if you want, but I don't," Sayuri coolly countered. "I'm not some tool to be used for someone else's satisfaction."

Kakashi scratched the back of his head and chuckled, "It's more of a symbolic thing, really," he explained, though Sayuri hardly seemed convinced. "You make it sound really creepy when you say it like that, you know?"

Naruto stepped forward and stood before the three graves and stuffed his hands into his pockets. Haku and Mangetsu died believing that they were tools. With his final act, Zabuza realized the flaws in his philosophy and died as a human being. In Naruto's eyes, that wasn't fair. Both Haku and Mangetsu deserved to make the same realization before death, but they died thinking that they were nothing. They never got the opportunity to see that Zabuza actually cared for them as comrades.

"I think Sayuri's right, sensei," Sakura chirped with a smile before turning to Naruto. "What do you think, Naruto? If you side with us, I think we might be able to change Kakashi-sensei's mind!"

A grin immediately covered up Naruto's internal rumination, "I can get on board with that," he replied before winking at Kakashi. "That makes it three to one. Now you owe us ramen, sensei."

A trickle of sweat dripped down Kakashi's head as Team 7 left behind the graves of their fallen foes.

"Who said anything about ramen?"

* * *

With the day of their departure finally arriving, nearly the entire village had come down to the bridge to see Team 7 off. Sakura appeared flustered by the attention and turned beet-red when a group of boys her age each brought her some flowers as thanks — much to Sayuri's secret amusement. Sayuri imagined that she would have received similar gifts if not for the fact that she was so intimidating, and frankly, unapproachable. Just the way she liked it.

"Well, it goes without saying that we'll miss ya," Tazuna said, serving as the representative of the village with Inari and Tsunami at his side. "I know I said this already, but none of this would have ever been possible without your help. This country will forever be in your debt."

Tsunami nodded in agreement, "Please be careful on your trip home, and don't forget to visit us again someday!"

"We have you all to thank, too," Kakashi replied with an eye smile.

Despite himself, Inari felt overwhelmed with emotion and was struggling to fight back the tears. Tazuna placed his hand on the boy's head to comfort him, but it only served to make keeping up his manly façade even more difficult. His attention was focused almost solely on Naruto, who perked up when he noticed Inari's struggles.

Seeing Inari fight so hard to keep the tears back, Naruto smiled, "It's okay to cry when you're happy, ya know?" he explained.

As if that was all the permission he needed, the tears began to fall from Inari's eyes in droves, "You better come back one day!" he demanded.

"You got it, big guy," Naruto assured with a smirk before Team 7 finally departed.

As they did, the villagers began openly discussing all the amazing things that had happened over the past few weeks. Eventually, the topic of conversation shifted solely to the bridge, in which everyone was trying to decide what they were going to name it. Surprised that he had forgotten something so important, Tazuna pondered some possible names before his eyes fell on the backs of Team 7 — in particular, Naruto.

While certainly a bit of a pain in the ass, Naruto had done something that nobody ever could. He helped Inari find his courage again. It was that small act that enabled Inari to gather the villagers to defend their home. Had Naruto not taught that lesson, then it was possible that the Land of Waves would have never been free again. With that in mind, choosing the name became easy.

"How about, The Great Naruto Bridge?" Tazuna proposed, to immediate approval.

Inari wiped away his tears and smiled softly as he watched Naruto and his team vanish into the distance. Yeah. The Great Naruto Bridge would be a perfect name.

* * *

Once Team 7 finally returned to the Leaf Village, Kakashi decided that it would be best to allow everyone to return home while he reported to the Hokage. Secretly relieved that they wouldn't need to be present for something a monotonous as a briefing, Naruto, Sayuri, and Sakura each waved goodbye before heading on their way. Coincidentally, due to the locations of each of their homes, they each took different routes.

Naruto hadn't spoken much with his teammates following the completion of their assignment. His mind was more fixated on images of death. In particular, witnessing the life fade from Mangetsu's eyes weighed heavily on his mind. It was difficult for Naruto to fathom someone willingly taking their own life. Mangetsu had dreams and ambitions — he told Naruto that himself — and yet he appeared content to just throw that all away. And the worst part was that his death didn't amount to anything.

Eventually, Naruto caught sight of his apartment building and realized that he was home. It was a reasonably nice complex, mostly occupied by people that were living alone. The apartments were too small to house families, so most of his fellow tenants were young people who'd finally managed to move away from their parents. However, with that being the case, nobody ever lived in his building for more than a few years, so people hardly knew or spoke to one another.

With his apartment being at the top of the building, Naruto almost considered using his chakra to climb up the wall. Yet, in the end, he decided against it. It was evening now, and people were probably eating or finishing up for the day, and the last thing they would want was someone walking up their walls. Besides, it wasn't like walking up a few flights of stairs would kill him.

Once he finally reached his door, Naruto reached for the handle and paused. His door was slightly ajar, revealing that he had either left it open before leaving for his mission or someone had broken inside. Trusting that he wasn't a dumbass, Naruto conjured a chakra kunai and slowly opened the door. The lights were still off, and he opted to keep them that way; otherwise, he might alert whoever was intruding in his home.

Slowly scanning his apartment's interior, Naruto's eyes immediately narrowed when he noticed a shadowy mass on his couch. He wasn't able to make out any distinguishable features due to the dark, but it was obviously a person. Having identified the threat, Naruto took a silent step back before reaching for the light switch. He would be useless fighting in the dark, and this way, he would at least be able to get a jump on his intruder before the bastard knew what hit them.

In rapid movement, Naruto flipped the switch and immediately lunged forward with his chakra kunai still in hand. He got an inch away from plunging the weapon into the mysterious intruder before his wrist was grabbed in a vice. Naruto immediately recognized the red and green clothing of the intruder, as well as the mane of white hair, before he was subsequently flipped onto his head.

"Jeez, kid. Hello to you too."

Naruto scowled, and his chakra kunai immediately vanished. Crouched before him was a man of rather imposing size, with waist-length, spiky white hair tired into a ponytail, with two shoulder-length bangs framing his face. He wore a green short kimono shirt and matching pants, under which he wore mesh armor that is visible at his wrists and ankles. He also wore handguards, a black belt, traditional wooden geta sandals, and a red haori with two yellow circles on each side. Strangely, he also sported a horned forehead protector with the kanji for oil in place of a traditional shinobi headband.

"What the hell do you want, _Pervy Sage_?"

The perverted sage in question stood back up to his feet before returning to laying on the couch, "For you to stop calling me that, for one," he casually responded while getting comfortable. "And after that, you can tell me all about your grand adventures since we last saw each other."

"You ask that like you don't already know," Naruto scoffed, knowing that his unexpected visitor had eyes and ears everywhere. He then walked over to his couch and shoved his guest over to the other side so that he could sit as well, earning an almost comical groan in return. "Are you drunk?"

"I could be at the hot springs conducting research right now. Yet, I decided to welcome my cute little student back home instead," the man complained, clearly having expected a more polite greeting. "You know, most people would be more grateful to know someone of my stature so personally."

Naruto rolled his eyes and leaned back into his couch cushion, "Yeah, yeah. 'You're the great Master Jiraiya.' I've heard it a million times already," he responded with a blatant lack of enthusiasm. "But to me, you'll always just be the perverted old man who bums on my couch, eats all my food, and spends all my money on booze and women."

"And who teaches you cool jutsu," Jiraiya added, not denying anything that Naruto said.

It had been a couple of years since Naruto and Jiraiya first met. It started when Naruto came across Jiraiya, peeping on a group of women swimming in a river. After realizing that Jiraiya was a shinobi, Naruto threatened to alert the women to his presence unless he taught him a jutsu. After a bit of whining on Jiraiya's part, Naruto's demand was met, and the two had stayed in touch ever since.

"The old man told me that you finally became a genin, and I had to come see for myself," Jiraiya spoke up after a few moments of silence. "I heard that you're on Kakashi's team."

"You know Kakashi-sensei?"

Jiraiya shrugged, "Once you get to a high enough level, everyone's heard of each other," he said. "Kakashi is pretty good. You'd do well to listen to what he teaches you."

"But let me guess, not quite as good as you, right?" Naruto asked with a cross of his arms.

With a grin, Jiraiya replied, "And here I thought that you were a lost cause. It seems that you can learn after all."

The two talked for a little while longer. Naruto explained how he became a genin, decided to teach Konohamaru, and all about what happened in the Land of Waves. Jiraiya appeared mildly interested throughout, though, similar to Kakashi, it was obvious that he was more attentive and invested than he let on.

"You becoming a genin wasn't the only thing the old man and I spoke about," Jiraiya said once Naruto was finished, his voice growing serious. His posture then straightened as he looked Naruto in his eyes. "How is the seal?"

Not at all surprised by the question, Naruto scowled, "How would I know?" he asked. "Whenever I try to ask you how it works, you just shirk the question."

"Naruto," Jiraiya began before pausing as if deciding his words carefully. "I know that I'm the one who told you that the Nine Tails chakra should be a tool for you to use, but you need to be careful. If you're not, you may lose yourself to it entirely."

This was a conversation Naruto and Jiraiya had gone through a dozen times. It was almost strange how worrisome Jiraiya would get about the Nine Tails chakra, considering just how easygoing he usually was. It was him who taught and encouraged Naruto to draw on the chakra in the first place! And now that he was actually getting the hang of controlling it, he was being discouraged? Adults could never decide what they actually wanted, it seemed.

"I'm not an idiot, Pervy Sage," Naruto replied. "I don't use the chakra carelessly. This time I didn't even mean to. I almost died, and the chakra took over."

Initially upset at still being referred to by the irritating nickname, Jiraiya's expression grew pensive. Naruto rolled his eyes and looked up at his ceiling. He knew how this was going to go. Jiraiya wasn't going to tell him anything significant and would just give him some vague warning about how he needed to be responsible. That was how it always went down. People were never honest with him.

"And against Mizuki? Did you almost die there too?" Jiraiya asked, causing Naruto's shoulders to stiffen. "From what I was told, you beat him to within an inch of his life."

"He deserved worse than just that," Naruto countered. "And I had to use the chakra there too. Konohamaru was about to be burned alive by his own chakra, and I needed to suppress it with _that jutsu_."

Jiraiya frowned, but nevertheless nodded understandingly, "Still can't create the chains without the demon's chakra, huh?" he asked, with Naruto's silence being the only answer that he needed. "One day, you'll figure it out. It's a complex and powerful jutsu. Nobody ever said that it would be a piece of cake to master."

Whether he liked it or not, the Nine Tails chakra was as much a part of him as his own chakra. With that in mind, Naruto saw no issue with using the chakra in times of crisis. It wasn't like he used it for arbitrary reasons or anything, anyway. He could have used it in the bell test to almost certainly steal a bell from Kakashi, but he didn't. Naruto wasn't an irresponsible fool.

"Anyway, it's getting late, huh?" Jiraiya noted as he looked over his shoulder and out the window. "I was already trying to sleep before you interrupted me."

Once more, Naruto could only roll his eyes, "Yeah, sure. You can sleep on my couch for the night," he muttered rhetorically, as if Jiraiya had asked permission. " _Again_."

With the conversation practically finished, for now, Naruto removed his sandals and placed them near the front door. He then turned the lights back off and allowed his eyes to adjust before making his way over to his room. He heard Jiraiya snoring and rolled his eyes at how quickly the old pervert could fall asleep. If only he were so lucky. Upon opening his bedroom door, Naruto noted that his room was illuminated by moonlight. Now able to see clearly, he prepared to step through but paused when he heard a voice.

"Naruto," Jiraiya spoke up from the darkness, causing Naruto to pause in his doorway. "I trust you."

Despite hearing him loud and clear, Naruto closed his door behind him and plopped down onto his bed. While staring up at his slowly rotating ceiling fan, he pondered his teacher's words, "Trust?" he quietly pondered out loud before smiling. "With all of your shit that I put up with, you owe me that, at least."

_Do you have someone precious to you in your life?_

Naruto pondered Haku's words as his thoughts centered around Jiraiya. Was the Pervy Sage precious to him? Up until now, Naruto had never really thought about him — or anyone for that matter — in that way. Jiraiya was essentially Naruto's unofficial guardian, who ensured that the seal containing the Nine Tails was secure. Yet, now that Naruto thought about it, he was so much more than just that. Back when he was an incompetent loser, Jiraiya taught him how to be a shinobi.

After considering Jiraiya's importance in his life, Naruto's thoughts then shifted over to his team. Kakashi was definitely an elite jōnin for a reason and had taught him a lot in their short time together. Yet, Sakura was the one who surprised Naruto the most. She had a knack for showing up whenever he needed help the most and was nice enough not to rub his nose in it. For that alone, she was more than alright in his book. And then, there was Sayuri...

"Someone precious to me?" Naruto mumbled before a tired smile spread over his face, as he drifted into sleep. "Maybe."

* * *

**~End~**

* * *

**Hope you guys enjoyed the update. I'm pleased that I could get this chapter finished as quickly as I promised that I would last time. This chapter is actually the longest so far, reaching roughly 17,000 words (not including this Author's Note).**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the parallel that I did with Sayuri's scene with Haku and the final scene with Naruto returning to his apartment. Because of Haku, they both realized that they have precious people in their lives. I even wrote the two paragraphs when they each thought about their teammate's almost precisely the same way. It was meant to show that they're both in similar places in their respective journeys. They both want to avenge the deaths of their loved ones, but they also can't deny that they have people in their lives that they care about.**

**With this chapter, I've finally pretty much explained why Naruto is so much more competent than he was in canon. In my story, Jiraiya became a part of his life far sooner and essentially changed him from being a student at the bottom of his class to what he is now. For the most part, though, Naruto was too stubborn to admit that Jiraiya was someone he cared about. So he never considered Jiraiya to be someone precious to him during his talk with Haku. It was only after meeting Haku that Naruto realized just how important Jiraiya was to him. Kind of like how Zabuza realized how much he cared for Haku and Mangetsu after they died.**

**So, as you can see, Naruto learned a lot of the same lessons during this arc that he did in canon. You'll just have to wait and see how he interprets these lessons and how they drive his actions as the story progresses.**

**The person who changed the most during this arc was definitely Sayuri. Learning that Naruto was similar to her was a critical step in her progression. At this point, she already considers him to be her first real friend. In my story, their relationship will be much more conventional than it was in canon. They'll seem more like actual friends, but they'll still always be rivals trying to outdo each other at every turn.**

**As for Mangetsu, I hope the fight with him was satisfying. However, I really want to convey to you guys the fact that at this point in the story, Mangetsu was WAY stronger than Naruto — even with the Nine Tails chakra. The only reason Naruto won was because he has specific abilities that hard counter Mangetsu's. If not for Naruto's strong water affinity, he wouldn't have almost sealed Mangetsu away. If not for the Nine Tails chakra, Naruto would have been killed by the water pistol jutsu. If not for his chakra chains, Naruto would have never been able to stop Mangetsu, and his attacks would have continued to be useless. See what I mean? Also, in this story, Mangetsu is 16 and not 19 like when he died in canon, so he was never a member of the Seven Swordsmen and didn't have any of the seven swords at his disposal.**

**Again, thanks for your continued support!**


	8. The Chūnin Exams Begin!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. All characters in this story, excluding those that are created by me, are the intellectual property of Masashi Kishimoto. Please show support by reading or watching the original source material.**

* * *

**~Confronting the Shadow: Chapter Eight~**

* * *

" **The Chūnin Exams Begin!"**

**(Several Months Later)**

Upon looking up at the Yamanaka Flower Shop, Sakura couldn't help but smile. It had been roughly five months since Team 7 returned from the Land of Waves. Thankfully, things had been very calm and quiet since then. As if to compensate for nearly getting them all killed in their first mission, Kakashi had resolved to have Naruto, Sayuri, and Sakura complete D-Rank missions and focus on their training and development. In particular, Sakura had finally been granted one-on-one training with Kakashi, where she'd improved significantly.

While Kakashi wasn't able to teach Sakura anything about medical ninjutsu, he was knowledgeable about genjutsu. As it turned out, she was just as talented with illusions as she was with healing, and she really felt as though she was beginning to carve out a niche on her team. Naruto and Sayuri were the heavy hitters, and Sakura was a support. There was no shame in that, in her mind.

Focusing back on the Yamanaka Flower Shop, Sakura recalled how she visited the past to chit-chat with Ino. Yet, a few years ago, Sakura felt herself growing dependent on Ino, and their friendship faded as a result. However, after completing her first C-Rank mission and learning the realities of life and death, Sakura concluded that she needed to value her friendships more. Therefore, after taking a while to build up her courage, she decided to spend her Sunday afternoon catching up with an old friend.

"Sakura!" Ino exclaimed in surprise when she saw Sakura walk into the shop. "It's been so long! That forehead is as big as ever, I see."

A scowl quickly replaced Sakura's chipper expression, "And it looks like you still can't keep that snout of yours shut, Ino-pig."

The two girls glared at one another for a few moments before they both burst into laughter. Their relationship had always been this way. They would regularly compete with one another in just about anything. These competitions would regularly devolve into name-calling, in which they were both eternally branded as Billboard Brow and Ino-pig, respectively.

"It's been ages since I heard you say that," Ino replied. "How is your team?"

Sakura smiled pleasantly, "They're good! Sayuri is as mysterious as ever. But she's actually really nice once you get to know her," she explained. "And Kakashi-sensei is so strong! Apparently, he's some kind of bigshot that's known throughout the world."

"And Naruto?" Ino inquired with a quirk of the brow. "Is he weird?"

Pondering Ino's words carefully, Sakura recalled Naruto's reputation at the Academy. Many people considered him to be an oddity, with very few trying to get to know him. Under normal circumstances, this would result in him being on the receiving end of bullying or ridicule. Yet, nobody was brave enough to ever try. Therefore, for the most part, the other students simply kept their distance and never tried to become his friend.

Shamed as she was to admit it, Sakura could count herself as one of those people who never tried to reach out — though, it was more due to her shyness than anything else.

"Please don't say stuff like that, Ino. Naruto's actually a really incredible guy," Sakura said. "He's just rough around the edges sometimes."

"No kidding," Ino responded before leaning over the counter and resting her chin on her palm. "Do tell."

Sakura proceeded to tell Ino all about the mission in the Land of Waves. As the grand tale progressed, Ino's expression grew more and more incredulous. Now that Sakura thought about it, the idea that their first C-Rank mission evolved into an A-Ranked mission where they saved an entire country WAS pretty difficult to believe. Eventually, Sakura completed her story.

Looking pleased that the story had a happy ending, Ino smiled, "Well, well. I still can't get over that badass stunt you pulled with the substitution and the paper bombs," she remarked before her smile grew more playful. "It seems suspiciously unlike you."

Choosing not to be offended, Sakura merely smiled. It was true that the Sakura of six months ago wouldn't have had the guts to stand up against someone like Mangetsu. Yet, she chose to fight even if it meant that she would die. At the time, she could have never anticipated that Naruto would arrive to save her, so she had genuinely been prepared to sacrifice herself for the mission. Sakura felt immense pride at that realization — though she conveniently left that detail out when telling her parents about the mission. They were very worrisome people.

"Everyone has room for growth. It just turns out that I did a lot of growing on that day," Sakura conceded.

Ino smiled, with a hint of pride clearly welling up in her chest. Sakura imagined that it was quite shocking for her old friend to hear that she had stared death in the face and stood her ground. It was a far cry from the pitiful girl that Ino had met all those years ago, no doubt.

"Now, onto the juicier details," Ino said, shifting the conversation back into her wheelhouse. "What's the deal with Sayuri? Spill it."

Sakura rolled her eyes, knowing that the question was inevitable. Despite her best efforts, Sayuri managed to build up quite a reputation for herself back at the Academy. The boys, once they got past their "cooties" stage, all had crushes on her — at least until they realized that she was stronger than them. Then, their affection was soon replaced by fear. On the other hand, the girls all wanted to be her friend. Sayuri was amazing at everything and had a mysterious aura that was just begging to be unraveled.

"Sayuri's a normal person, Ino," Sakura assured with a sigh. "She's just a little introverted, is all. There's not much else to it."

Not seeming all that convinced, Ino straightened back up and crossed her arms, "You mean to tell me that in all this time you haven't gathered any meaningful intel on her? What kind of shinobi are you?"

Sakura bristled at the implication that she should somehow be ashamed for not spying on her own teammate, "If you want to know more about Sayuri, I'm not the one to ask. It's Naruto who she gets along with the best."

This appeared to pique Ino's interest.

"Oh, really?" Ino grinned. "Do tell."

Immediately realizing where Ino was coming from, Sakura formed an X with her arms, "They're just friends, Ino."

"What kind of friends?"

When asked the question, Sakura actually paused as she attempted to define Naruto and Sayuri's relationship. It definitely wasn't like most other friendships, in the sense that they'd both gotten off to a really rocky start. However, during the mission in the Land of Waves, they began spending more time together. By the time the mission was complete, Sakura had noticed that they would have private conversations on the journey home when they thought nobody was watching.

Over the past few months, when Team 7 had settled into smaller missions and training, Sakura would train with Kakashi, while Naruto and Sayuri would go off and train together. She was grateful for the progress she'd made training with her sensei. Yet, she couldn't help but feel like she was being left out of some quality time with her teammates.

"They both really like to train, so they spar a lot. Some days, they go at it from morning until night," Sakura explained, knowing that with Ino, there was no point in struggling. "They like to make everything a competition to see who's the best, but they also have quiet moments together where they just talk. Back in the Land of Waves, Kakashi-sensei told me that there was even a time when they snuck out onto the roof while everyone else was sleeping."

Shamed as she was to admit it, the reason these particular thoughts came to mind for Sakura was because of how left out she'd felt at the time. It wasn't Naruto or Sayuri's fault, clearly. Sakura was sure they'd accept her if she asked to tag along. Still, it was obvious that Naruto and Sayuri were able to relate to each other in a way that she could never up to.

Once Sakura finished her explanation, Ino's mouth was utterly agape, "Sakura, are you kidding me? How can you be so dense? Those are all the textbook signs of a budding romance!"

This time, it was Sakura's turn to appear skeptical, "Sayuri? Romance?" she deadpanned. Clearly, Ino knew nothing about Sayuri at all.

"I know these kinds of things, Sakura," Ino defended. "Constant bickering, teasing, spending all day together, and secret excursions at night? How more obvious can it get?"

"Would you even think twice about any of that if Sayuri was a boy?" Sakura countered. "I'm telling you, Ino. Sayuri isn't like you. She's not into fairy tale romances or anything like that. There's no hidden layer underneath."

For a brief moment, Sakura then heard Kakashi's teasing voice in her head, reminding her that a true shinobi should look underneath the underneath.

Sakura's words seemed to go right over Ino's head, "But Naruto of all people? That's what I'm most surprised about," Ino mumbled to herself before shrugging. "I mean, he's not ugly or anything — but he's not hot either. It's just…well, you know."

"Know what, exactly?" Sakura asked with crossed arms.

Appearing to struggle to choose her words correctly, Ino eventually responded, "Well, you see how people look at him, right? That's not normal. There has to be something going on there."

Sakura shook her head. She honestly had no clue what Ino was talking about.

"Whenever school would wrap up for the day, I would sometimes see the other parents giving Naruto dirty looks, "Ino revealed. "Next time you're out with Naruto, take a look at the people around you, and you'll see it too. There's something off about that guy — at least, that's what everyone seems to think."

"And what do you think?" Sakura asked, her tone becoming defensive. She wasn't liking where this conversation was going.

Ino held up her hands in a placating gesture, "Hey if you say he's a good guy, I'll take your word for it. I mean, he did save your life, after all," she conceded. "I'm just telling you what I saw. No doubt Sayuri has noticed it too."

Sakura frowned as she pondered Ino's words.

* * *

The afternoon sun shone brightly over Training Ground Three. This was a familiar setting for Naruto and Sayuri. It was where they completed their first training exercise with Kakashi to determine whether they would become genin. Now, they were both leaning against the very same stumps that they were nearly tied to after the bell test, relaxing after a good few hours of training. Sayuri, in particular, looked pleased, with a small smile brought forth by an exhilaration that only progress through training could produce.

'I can feel it every day,' Sayuri thought to herself. 'I'm getting stronger.'

"You're getting stronger, ya know?" Naruto spoke up as if he could read her mind. "Physically, I mean. Your hits feel a lot heavier."

Ever since they completed their mission in the Land of Waves, Sayuri had devoted a lot of time to her strength and conditioning. While she hadn't been lax in that regard before, she couldn't ignore that her body nearly gave up on her after fighting Haku. Sure, Sayuri managed to pull out the win, but she had always been the type of person to focus more on her failures than her successes. It was this mindset that enabled her to improve as quickly as she did.

"Thanks," Sayuri replied simply. "And you still feel like you're made of iron."

Hitting Naruto was a strange feeling. In Sayuri's experience, there was always a hint of satisfaction when she managed to knock someone off their feet or cause visible pain from a well-placed strike. With Naruto, that never seemed to happen. Describing his body as being like "iron" was probably a bit of an exaggeration. Yet, she'd be lying if she said that there wasn't an ache in her hands and feet in the aftermath of their spars together.

Naruto grinned, "Are you trying to make me blush?" he asked.

Suddenly, both Naruto and Sayuri noticed a presence in the distance — scratch that, two presences. They were being observed, clearly, and yet, it was apparent that their "spectators" were probably not among the highest caliber of shinobi. Neither Naruto nor Sayuri could sense chakra, yet they were able to notice the two figures immediately.

Yet, before they were allowed to call out what they had noticed, one of the figures jumped out of the bushes and threw a handful of shuriken. Reacting immediately, Sayuri parried the spinning projectiles with a kunai and jumped into the air to engage their attacker. Surprisingly, there was very little resistance. She was able to land a strike to the person's stomach before landing back on the ground while holding the mysterious figure up in the air by their ankle.

"Hey, Konohamaru," Naruto greeted casually. It was only then that Sayuri noticed that their assailant was a child.

The boy, Konohamaru, groaned in pain, "Ow," he said before glaring at Sayuri from his upside-down position. "You hit hard, lady."

Admittedly a bit perplexed, Sayuri was even further confused when the second figure rushed out of the bushes, revealing themselves to be a little girl. She had unruly black hair and strange red eyes with ringed irises. It appeared that the two children were around the same age, and there was also enough of a resemblance to where Sayuri wondered if they were possibly related.

"Let him go, you bully!" the girl shouted, sounding oddly meek and forceful at the same time.

Konohamaru shouted back urgently, "Don't do it, Mirai! She'll destroy you!" he said, sounding as though they were in an actual life or death scenario.

Having almost forgotten that she was holding up Konohamaru in the first place, Sayuri immediately released his ankle, and the boy collapsed onto the ground like a sack of potatoes. The girl, Mirai, quickly ran to Konohamaru's side to comfort him, and Sayuri turned to her teammate for answers. Naruto merely smiled and shrugged his shoulders as if he had no idea what was going on either.

"Your girlfriend is strong, boss," Konohamaru groaned, causing Sayuri's brow to immediately tick at the implication. She was nobody's _girlfriend_.

Naruto ignored the statement, "Nice entrance, Konohamaru," he said, looking amused.

Even since Konohamaru stole the Scroll of Seals, he'd been grounded — which, admittedly, was pretty lenient as punishments went. He was only ever allowed to leave his house to attend class at the Academy and perform chores as a form of community service. Naruto had visited him a couple of times to see how he was doing, but this was the first time Konohamaru met someone from his team. It would seem that his sentence was finally complete.

Now recovered, Konohamaru rose back to his feet. After giving Sayuri a nervous side-glance, he walked past her and approached Naruto, gesturing for Mirai to follow him. Looking even shyer than she had before, Konohamaru's companion complied, and the duo was soon standing in front of the still sitting Naruto.

"Boss, this is my cousin, Mirai," Konohamaru introduced, while Mirai merely waved timidly. "She's kind of weird, but the old man makes me take her out with me, so she's here to stay."

All her shyness immediately forgotten, Mirai's face immediately grew red. She clenched her fists at her side, "I'm not weird!" she yelled. "I'm gonna tell my mom what you said!"

"Go ahead," Konohamaru replied with a roll of his eyes. He then gestured to Naruto. "I'm under the boss' protection, so she'll have to get through him first. And nobody can beat my big bro."

"Don't drag me into this," Naruto complained, though the two children completely ignored his plea.

Mirai shook her head, stubbornly, "Nuh-uh," she said. "My mom's a jōnin, and he's only a genin. Jōnin beat genin, dummy."

Properly incensed, Konohamaru glared, "Oh yeah?! Well, the boss beat a chūnin all by himself! I was there!"

"A chūnin isn't a jōnin, stupid! This is why your grades are so bad. You don't pay attention in class," Mirai replied before sticking out her tongue.

"Auntie Kurenai only recently became a jōnin, so she's basically a chūnin anyway!" Konohamaru countered with admittedly faulty logic.

Before the argument could escalate any further, Sayuri walked up behind the two children and bopped them each on the top of their heads. That seemed to do the trick, as Mirai and Konohamaru immediately hunched over and grasped their heads in pain. Sayuri hadn't hit them all that hard, but it didn't take much to get children all worked up.

"Are you going to let her do that to us, boss?!" Konohamaru asked while rubbing his achy skull. Meanwhile, Mirai seemed to be fighting back tears, which served to make Sayuri feel guilty. Great. This was why she hated kids.

Naruto simply shrugged, "I don't know where you got this whole "protection thing" from," he said before his head perked up in apparent realization. "If anything, shouldn't you be the one protecting me since I'm apparently your boss?"

Immediately deducing that this was the student Naruto had told her about, Sayuri was surprised to learn that he was actually telling the truth. It seemed like some stupid thing that he would make up with the sole purpose of being annoying. Yet, as she watched the two interact, it was clear that Konohamaru admired Naruto in the way that a student looked up to their master.

After a few minutes of talking, the craziness finally cooled down. Sayuri leaned against one of the stumps at Naruto's side once more, and Konohamaru and Mirai were sitting crisscross in front of them. Now that everyone wasn't arguing anymore, Sayuri felt much more comfortable and decided to stay while Konohamaru and Naruto caught up. It was usually the kind of thing that she would walk out on, but she felt content to sit with them for some reason.

"So, boss. When are you going to show us one of your awesome jutsu?" Konohamaru asked — no, begged. "I told Mirai that you were really badass, and she wouldn't shut up until I brought her to meet you."

Mirai blushed and averted her gaze, looking decidedly embarrassed. Sayuri nearly rolled her eyes out of her head as she realized that the little girl probably had a childish crush on Naruto of all people. No doubt it was because of Konohamaru's exaggerated boasting. Again, this was why she hated kids.

"Hmm, how about this?" Naruto asked as he proceeded to create a shuriken out of his chakra that spun almost hypnotically over his palm.

Naruto then nearly toppled over when his audience didn't look impressed at all — Sayuri included.

"I already told her that you could do that, boss," Konohamaru explained. "Show us something different."

Sayuri smirked at Naruto's embarrassment and received a glare back in response. Children were very fickle creatures. One second they could be touting you as a legend, and the next, they could be the worst critics imaginable. Admittedly, Naruto's ability to create things from his chakra was pretty intriguing. Yet, seeing as Mirai was a child, her interest would likely be more piqued by something she'd never heard of before.

"Wow, okay," Naruto muttered before stroking his chin in thought.

After a few moments of consideration, Naruto then appeared to finally make his decision. Then, much to Konohamaru's confusion, Mirai's disgust, and Sayuri's surprise, Naruto bit his thumb until he drew blood and performed five hand seals. Sayuri watched with her Sharingan instinctively activated as Naruto formed the boar, dog, bird, monkey, and ram seals before slamming his palm onto the ground. A puff of smoke then appeared before quickly dissipating to reveal an orange toad that looked roughly the size of a small dog.

Sayuri was aware of the summoning jutsu, having witnessed her brother's friend Shisui summon crows when she was a child. In this case, it wasn't what Naruto summoned that shocked her, but rather, the fact that he had been able to obtain a summoning contract in the first place. They were apparently relatively rare, with most shinobi never being able to get their hands on one in their lifetime. It seemed that somehow, Naruto had managed to make a contract with toads.

"Yo," the toad greeted with a casual wave. "The name's Gamakichi."

Stars immediately appeared in Konohamaru and Mirai's eyes as they realized that the clearly unordinary toad could actually speak. They attempted to grab him in their arms, but he hopped away. This sparked an amusing game of "catch me if you can," where the two children attempted to wrangle Gamakichi as if he were a greased-up pig. On the sidelines, Naruto and Sayuri merely watched from their relaxed positions.

"Where did you get a summoning contract?" Sayuri asked, getting straight to the point, as usual.

Naruto smiled knowingly, "I didn't find it myself if that's what you're asking. So, no need to get jealous," he said. When he received an unamused stare, he proceeded to clarify. "There's this perverted old dude who teaches me jutsu. He's a toad summoner."

"A perverted old man taught you how to summon toads?" Sayuri deadpanned.

"Pretty much, yeah," Naruto admitted with a shrug before ultimately grinning. "Maybe someday you'll find your own pervy mentor?"

Being mostly self-taught, Sayuri couldn't relate to what it was like to have a mentor figure. As an Uchiha clan member, she had access to all of the training material she could have ever wanted. Still, nobody in her family ever really had the time to teach her firsthand — as it was the Academy's responsibility to provide formative training. In cases where clan jutsu were taught, Uchiha clan members were encouraged to be strong and independent. A parent or sensei would give a student a jutsu to learn, give them whatever information they needed, and leave them to figure it out on their own.

That was the way of the Uchiha clan.

"I think I'll pass on that," Sayuri replied before rolling her eyes. "And I don't even want to know how that relationship started."

Sayuri then turned to look back at Konohamaru and Mirai. They had given up on chasing Gamakichi and were now crouched in front of him, apparently having an amusing conversation. Despite herself, Sayuri smiled at the sight. She supposed that even kids had their endearing moments — even if they were mostly annoying.

* * *

**(The Following Morning)**

Sakura subtly glanced at Naruto as he leaned against the bridge railing. No matter how much she tried to shake the thought, she couldn't get her conversation with Ino out of her head. What possible reason could people have for not liking Naruto? Now that she thought about it, nobody in the Academy could really explain why they kept their distance from him. It was only now that she realized that her classmates had probably seen how their parents looked at Naruto and assumed something was wrong with him.

Like all of their previous team meetings, Kakashi arrived late. Sakura rolled her eyes as she assumed there must have been some old woman that needed help carrying their groceries. Or maybe it was a black cat that just so happened to cross his path? It would almost be forgivable if his excuses weren't laughably bad. It was clear that Kakashi knew that he wasn't fooling anyone — and even more apparent that he simply didn't care. He'd be better off without any excuse at all.

"Sorry I'm late, but I had a very important meeting with the Hokage. You see, this year's Chūnin Exams will be taking place in our village," Kakashi announced, immediately captivating everyone's attention. "And seeing as we've been together for nearly half a year now, I've decided that you've earned the right to decide whether or not you'd like to participate."

Looking at Naruto and Sayuri's reactions, Sakura immediately deduced that they would want to partake in the exams. Frankly, she didn't feel confident or ready enough to take such a test. Yet, after recalling her insecurity over not being close enough with Naruto or Sayuri, Sakura decided to keep her mouth shut. There was no way in hell that she was going to be a ball and chain that held her teammates back.

Kakashi spared Sakura a knowing glance before handing everyone the Chūnin Exam form. When scanning over her paper, she noticed immediately that both Kakashi and the Hokage had already signed their names on the bottom. All that remained was a line for her own signature. The implication was that the Hokage and the genin team leader would both need to formally approve for a team to compete in the exam.

"Do you have a pen?" Sayuri asked, bluntly. She didn't even take the time to read over the document and already intended to sign it.

"Maybe you should discuss this as a team before you make your decision?" Kakashi hinted. "After all, it's a team exam. It's either all of you or none of you."

Well, there were actually exceptions to that rule. Yet, Kakashi wasn't about to say that out loud — especially with Sayuri present. He doubted that she would want to hear that her brother was allowed to take the test by himself several years ago.

"I think we're all in agreement, right guys?" Naruto inquired with a grin. He was clearly oblivious to Sakura's apprehension.

Sayuri immediately nodded, and soon everyone's gaze shifted to Sakura. She became uncomfortable under the scrutiny but quickly straightened her posture, "Of course," she replied, trying to sound as confident as possible. "Whatever we do, we do it as a team."

Kakashi sighed, clearly unconvinced by Sakura's bravado. Nevertheless, he was tact enough not to expose her in front of her teammates. Sakura was grateful for that. In fact, she was grateful to Kakashi for a lot of things.

"Alright, then. The first portion of the exam is on July 1st, so be sure to bring your signed forms with you — and don't be late!" Kakashi advised with a wink, clearly seeing the irony in him of all people lecturing people about punctuality.

With Team 7 being dismissed for the day, Sakura made to leave. However, before she could, Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a look that implied that he wanted to talk. The due watched as Naruto and Sayuri continued on their way — probably to go train together.

Once they were completely alone, Kakashi finally spoke, "You know you don't have to do this, right?" he said. Even while he was talking to her, Kakashi continued to watch Naruto and Sayuri's retreating forms. "If you decide that you're not ready, I'll support your decision, and Team 7 will wait until next year."

"And then it would be my fault that Naruto and Sayuri didn't get to take the exams, right?" Sakura asked, sounding fairly frustrated. That would _definitely_ go a long way in making her teammates respect her as an equal.

Kakashi raised his hands in a placating gesture, "Don't say it like that. As a member of this team, your opinion means something — especially to me," he revealed, prompting Sakura's eyes to widen in shock. "I know that I can count on you to be cautious — unlike Naruto and Sayuri. Between the three of you, you were the only one who argued that we should have turned back in the Land of Waves — and you were right."

Sakura knew that Kakashi was trying to make her feel better with his words, but he was unintentionally worsening her self-esteem. She didn't want to be the cautious one anymore! She wanted to be like Naruto and Sayuri. They were fearless and strong. Meanwhile, Sakura was always weighing the odds and worrying about the danger. Even when she finally took her stand against Mangetsu, it was Naruto that defeated him, not her.

"And if we'd done things my way, Mr. Tazuna would have been killed, and the Land of Waves would still be dying," Sakura retorted, causing Kakashi's brow to raise in surprise. As soon as she finished, Sakura turned and walked away.

Before Kakashi could respond, Sakura stopped in her tracks and turned back to face him, "I don't want to be that weak little girl anymore, sensei," she declared. "And that's why I'm going to take the Chūnin Exams with Naruto and Sayuri."

And with that, she was gone. Kakashi watched his student depart in an almost stunned silence. That conversation hadn't gone at all as he'd expected.

"Was it something I said?" Kakashi muttered as he was left alone on the bridge.

* * *

Following their team meeting, Naruto and Sayuri had a brief discussion about what they should do next. Predictably, she opted to immediately head to the training ground; however, Naruto proposed getting a meal before heading out. Apparently, there was this hidden gem of a restaurant that he knew about, and despite her own desires, Sayuri opted to go with him. She supposed that a crucial aspect of all friendships was the willingness to make compromises.

"And what's so great about this place, exactly?" Sayuri inquired, sounding as skeptical as she always did.

At this point, Naruto couldn't help but roll his eyes, "With a little patience, you'll soon find out," he said. "We're almost there."

"I don't even eat ramen."

Naruto shot Sayuri a side-eyed glance, "Well, you do now," he said. "And if you haven't had Ichiraku Ramen, you've never had true ramen before as far as I'm concerned."

Sayuri shook her head and chose to hold her tongue. Who could have guessed that Naruto was such a snobby ramen elitist? If that was even a thing.

Eventually, they arrived at a rather unimpressive food stall with flaps that concealed the top portions of everyone inside. From what Sayuri could see, there were already two customers eating meals. Without much thought, Naruto ducked under the flaps and was greeted by the owner, Teuchi, who clearly knew him quite well. Brief introductions were made as it was Sayuri's first time, then the two were finally seated.

As Naruto scanned over his menu, Sayuri glanced over at the other customers, and her eyes narrowed. They were young, older than her, but not by much. Yet their most prominent feature was their foreign headbands — which appeared to depict two rocks. The Hidden Stone, maybe? That would certainly make sense. After all, they were apparently one of the other Five Great Shinobi Nations. There was no doubt that they produced promising shinobi of their own.

The very prospect excited Sayuri immensely.

One of the Hidden Stone shinobi was a girl, and the other was a boy. The girl had short, black hair and black eyes, and the boy was imposing with a tall and round build. They both wore similar clothing, which consisted of a red uniform with baggy sleeves, a lapel over their right leg, and a brown flak jacket. Though, distinctly the girl wore tight shorts with fishnet leggings and only had one sleeve, while the boy wore both sleeves, standard pants, fishnet around his calves/ankles, and a bright yellow scarf.

"Sayuri?" Naruto said, diverting her focus. "Are you ready to order or what?"

Realizing that she hadn't been paying attention, Sayuri looked up at the owner and told him that she'd have whatever Naruto was having. Apparently, that amounted to miso ramen, which didn't sound all that bad. Naruto was apparently the expert on all things ramen, so she chose to trust his personal preference.

While the two were waiting for their orders, the Hidden Stone kunoichi began complaining about something to do with her bill. The large boy tried his best to quell the developing scene, but predictably, he failed. While Sayuri wasn't particularly attached to the restaurant or anything, she would be lying if she said she wasn't a bit annoyed at visitors coming to her home and acting so disrespectfully. At least, that's what she would say if someone asked her why she wanted to get involved. In truth, she was eager to see what these Stone shinobi were made of.

"Hold on, all that for just two bowls of ramen?" the girl slammed her hands onto the counter as she and Teuchi argued about the bill. "Do you charge more for foreigners or something?"

The large boy continued to try and diffuse the situation, "Sorry about this," he apologized to Teuchi before turning to his companion. "Look, just let me pay for this, Kurotsuchi."

"Oh, no way in hell, Akatsuchi. This guy isn't getting a single ryō from either of us until we straighten this out."

When Kurotsuchi still refused to pay after Teuchi explained that his prices were perfectly fair, Sayuri decided that she'd seen enough. This Kurotsuchi girl had an annoying attitude.

"Pay your bill and leave," Sayuri spoke up, earning the attention of Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi both.

Kurotsuchi scowled, "Excuse me?"

Naruto took an opportunity to interject, "Forgive my teammate. She can be pretty blunt," he said. "It must be weird for you to see the prices of actual food, huh? It's a lot more expensive than the rocks and dirt that you eat back home."

Internally, Sayuri conceded that she couldn't have said it better herself.

"Oh, how creative. I've never heard that one before," Kurotsuchi responded with a smirk. "How about we take this outside, and I feed you some _rocks and dirt_ right now, blondie? Free of charge, of course. I'm way more reasonable than the owner of this dump."

Before Naruto could accept her challenge, Sayuri rose from her seat in his stead. Seemingly not as picky about opponents as she was about food, Kurotsuchi stood up from her chair as well. The two girls left the ramen shop and faced off in the center of the street. Thankfully, anyone walking the by was wise enough to steer clear of whatever was going on, rending the street virtually empty.

"Kurotsuchi, what are you doing?" Akatsuchi called out as Sayuri and his teammate looked like they were about to exchange blows.

Looking decidedly cocky, Kurotsuchi dismissed Akatsuchi's concerns, "Be quiet and watch, Akatsuchi. As far as I'm concerned, I'm just starting the exams early."

Not knowing whether or not she should activate her Sharingan from the beginning, Sayuri observed Kurotsuchi carefully. If she wasn't strong, her village wouldn't have sent her to compete in an examination so far from home, so she probably wasn't a pushover. Sayuri then looked back at the giant boy, Akatsuchi, and remained mindful of the possibility that he might join in as well. However, she quickly pushed aside her concern when she remembered that Naruto was watching too — now with his own ramen bowl in hand. He wouldn't let anyone interfere.

Suddenly, Kurotsuchi appeared to be overtaken by a sensation of dread. Sayuri smirked as she initially believed that she was the source of the girl's fear, but then she noticed a presence looming behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw a towering man — as tall as Akatsuchi, but less rotund. However, he was completely different in the sense that his aura was intense and threatening.

He had light brown eyes with no eyebrows and wore red plated armor that extended all the way to the bottom half of his face, covering it up. Underneath the portion of the armor that covered the bottom of his face, he wore a white cloth which also covered both sides of his face and the top of his head. Aside from his red armor, he also wore a red conical hat over the white cloth — which seemed to be composed of the same material as his armor. He wore his Hidden Stone forehead protector on a black cloth, and over his armor, he wore a black gi, with the sleeves seemingly torn off, and black gloves.

"You're late," the hulking man growled, his voice deep and booming. "I shouldn't have to come and fetch you like this."

"S-Sorry, Han," Kurotsuchi stammered, her personality doing a complete one-eighty. She then turned to Akatsuchi. "Come on! Just pay for the food, and let's go."

Akatsuchi did as he was told. Meanwhile, Sayuri looked back to Naruto and saw that he was still seated on his stool, now slurping up his bowl of ramen as he watched the proceedings like a spectator. He seemed to attract Han's attention as well, who stared at him intently. Just based on appearances, the two boys couldn't be further apart. Sayuri imagined that an ordinary person could never imagine someone like Naruto — who was average-sized on his best day — being able to fight someone as massive as Han. Lucky, Sayuri knew differently.

"Who are you?" Han demanded, officially turning his focus to Naruto completely.

To his credit, Naruto hardly seemed intimidated. He finished chewing what food he had in his mouth and swallowed, "Naruto Uzumaki," he replied.

Han seemed to appraise Naruto for a few more moments before speaking again, "I'm going to kill you in the exams, Naruto Uzumaki," he said as if remarking on the weather.

Naruto's brows rose in surprise, "What did I do?" he asked before gesturing to Sayuri. "She started it."

Sayuri deadpanned at being thrown under the bus.

"I couldn't care less about that," Han explained as both Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi finished paying for their food and stood at his side. "Your presence makes me sick."

Before Naruto could reply, Han and his team turned and walked away. Once they were gone, Sayuri sat back down at Naruto's side and saw that her own meal had been placed on the counter. She grabbed her chopsticks without a word and began eating her food. Admittedly, it was pretty delicious. After eating a bit of her meal, she looked over to Naruto and saw him watching her strangely.

"A guy threatens to kill me, and you just start eating your ramen like nothing happened?"

Sayuri scowled, "What do you want me to do? Vow to protect you from the "big scary guy" or something?" she replied sarcastically before turning back to her food. "You can take care of yourself. You'd be a pretty useless rival if you couldn't."

For once, Naruto appeared speechless. In the end, he began eating his ramen again as well.

* * *

In the distance, a lone figure was perched on a rooftop. He had distinct red hair and soulless green eyes, which had thick black rings around them. He watched the interaction between Sayuri, Naruto, and Han with thinly repressed mania. An eerie smile then spread across his face as he felt his mother begin to grow restless.

"Gaara?" a feminine voice behind the boy spoke up nervously. "Is everything okay?"

The new figure was a girl, with teal eyes and sandy blonde hair gathered into four consecutive pigtails. She wore a single light purple-colored, off-the-shoulder garment that extended to halfway down her thighs, with a scarlet sash tied around her waist. In addition to incorporating fishnet worn over her shoulders and legs, specifically on her right calf and her left thigh, she also wore her black forehead protector around her neck.

At her side stood another boy, who oddly wore a Bunraku puppeteer's costume; a black, baggy, full bodysuit with a red and yellow circle on the front. He also wears a black hood that covered his head entirely and had cat-like ears and his forehead protector on his forehead. He also had his face done up with a purple, triangular face-paint design.

Their names were Temari and Kankurō, and they were genin of the Hidden Sand Village.

Gaara looked back at his siblings and scowled, causing them to flinch back in worry. Temari's question then went unanswered as he vanished in a vortex and sand. Now with their brother gone, Temari and Kankurō shivered at the close call.

* * *

**(Morning of the First Exam)**

On the morning of the first exam, Team 7 met at the testing site with time to spare. They turned in their signed forms and briefly met with Kakashi before eventually going inside. There was time to spare, so Sayuri decided that she would attempt to gather as much intel as possible before the test started. She scanned the area and noticed two uniformed chūnin having some sort of conversation. Seeing it as a potential opening, Sayuri activated her Sharingan and read their lips.

"How many of them do you think will pass?" one of the men mouthed.

The other one shrugged nonchalantly, "Ibiki is the one leading the written exam, so I wouldn't be shocked if they all fail."

Sayuri's eyes then narrowed as she watched the two chūnin walk away. A written exam, huh?

"What are you so focused on?" Naruto asked, his fingers interlaced behind his head.

"The first exam is going to be a written test," Sayuri explained to her teammates after deactivating her Sharingan. "Apparently, it'll be very difficult."

Upon hearing the news, Sakura's brows perked up, and Naruto's shoulders sagged. Sayuri felt a mix of both feelings. She wasn't bad at written tests at all, but she'd be lying if she said that she enjoyed them. Sayuri was a warrior through and through, so academics only really interested her when the knowledge would improve her fighting ability.

"Shit," Naruto mumbled. "I suck at written tests."

Sakura was a bit bewildered, "What do you mean?" she said. "You must have done well on your tests at the Academy. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been the top-ranked student. To get your score, you would have had to do well on all the tests."

"Well, yeah, but that was the Academy, and this is the Chūnin Exams," Naruto explained. "It's probably going to be a lot harder to cheat here than it was in Iruka-sensei's class."

Time seemed to freeze as Sakura looked at Naruto in almost comical horror.

"Naruto…you cheated on your tests at the Academy?"

Naruto appeared a bit confused, "Yeah. Did you guys not?"

Sayuri calmly shook her head. Sakura still appeared too appalled to do anything else aside from stare intensely into Naruto's soul.

"I…I can't believe you!" Sakura exclaimed, finally able to formulate words. " _Number one student_ , my ass! I can't believe I actually admired you!"

Surprised by Sakura's response, Naruto waved his hands wildly, "Hey, it seemed like something a shinobi should do, ya know?" he explained before smiling awkwardly. "I'm surprised you never noticed, though. I copied off of your work the most, Sakura."

The fury that Sakura exhibited upon hearing that confession was beyond anything Sayuri previously felt to be possible for the typically well-tempered girl. It would be almost scary if it wasn't so amusing.

* * *

Once they familiarized themselves with the building, Team 7 arrived at the door to the classroom where they would be taking the first exam. Sakura was still sending Naruto dirty looks along the way, all the while mumbling and grumbling about how he was a dirty cheat. Frankly, Sayuri wasn't all that surprised by the fact that Naruto apparently cheated at the Academy. He hardly seemed like the academic type.

A crowd was surrounding the door, and they were being prevented from entering by two other genin who were warning them to turn back. It seemed like a sound enough tactic. Thin the herd by discouraging people from actually making it to the classroom. However, Sayuri soon noticed something else that was odd about the situation. The room's sign said 302 — the room number they were told to look for — but they were currently on the second floor, not the third. Sayuri immediately reached her conclusion.

"There's a genjutsu on the sign," Sakura whispered, voicing exactly what Sayuri was thinking.

Naruto squinted up at the sign, and it was obvious that he hadn't noticed at first like his teammates did. He was perceptive enough, but genjutsu was hardly his strong suit.

"Don't say anything," Sayuri advised. "There's no point in helping out the competition."

"What? No urge to point out the genjutsu to everyone and prove your superiority?" Naruto joked with a smirk. "If you don't do it, I just might."

Sayuri rolled her eyes, "Don't even think about it, moron," she warned. Though it was obvious that Naruto was just messing around.

Team 7 continued to observe the ruckus as a strong-looking boy wearing green spandex with a bowl haircut, and comically large eyebrows was getting smacked around by the two genin that were manning the door. Reaching the conclusion that people fooled by such a basic genjutsu weren't worthy of taking the Chūnin Exams anyway, Sayuri gestured for her team to follow as they attempted to scoot by.

"Wait!"

Before they could turn the corner and take the stairs to the next floor, the same boy who had been getting his ass kicked only a few seconds ago flagged them down. Oddly enough, any injuries he appeared to have sustained during his "fight" earlier were now immediately faded. Strangely, he looked at Team 7 with flushed cheeks before turning to Sayuri specifically.

"Are you Sayuri Uchiha?" he asked, receiving a slight inclination of the head from Sayuri in response. Had she met this guy before?

The boy seemed thrilled to have confirmed his suspicions and approached Sayuri's directly. He stood a bit taller than her — or anyone on her team for that matter — and looked to be in reasonably good shape. It was strange that he seemed to be such a pushover.

"My name is Rock Lee, the Hidden Leaf's Handsome Green Beast of Battle," Lee greeted with a thumbs up and a wink. "Please be my girlfriend. I promise to make you the happiest woman in the entire world!

One could have heard crickets in the hall as everyone processed what was said. Sakura blushed in surprise. Naruto was just barely managing to suppress his laughter, and Sayuri was too disgusted to even form an expression.

"No," was all Sayuri said, feeling that having to explain her reasoning would be redundant.

The wind immediately vanished from Lee's sails, and he placed his hand against the wall to keep himself from falling over in grief. Sayuri merely rolled her eyes at the ridiculous display and walked away. It was hardly the first time that some weirdo had asked her out, and it almost definitely wouldn't be the last. Boys were so irritating.

"Hehe, what's wrong, Sayuri?" Naruto asked with a teasing grin as he and Sakura caught up with her. "Are you not into dumb bowl haircuts and bushy eyebrows?"

Sayuri made to answer but stopped when her instincts warned her of danger. Naruto seemed to notice too, and he turned on a dime and managed to catch a punch with his hand that would have landed square in his face. Lee glared daggers at Naruto as the two struggled against each other's strength in a battle for dominance.

"Please do not make jokes," Lee warned before he perked up a bit. "Unless you intend to present yourself as a rival for Sayuri's love? If that is the case, then I welcome the challenge!"

Naruto's eyes narrowed, 'This guy's strong,' he thought before noticing the amount of distance Lee had covered in a mere instant. 'And fast too. How the hell was he getting his ass kicked by those clowns just now?'

With similar thoughts bouncing around in her head, Sayuri only briefly considered how odd it felt that two boys were essentially getting into a fight because of her. She supposed that it was kind of flattering — in a weird and annoying way.

"Lee, that's enough," another boy called out as he approached him. Sayuri assumed that he was one of Lee's teammates. "Was it not you who proposed that we hide our true strength?"

The first thing Sayuri noticed was that he resembled Hinata, which instantly told her that he was a Hyūga. He had fair skin, long dark brown hair, and featureless white eyes with a slight lavender tint. He wore a beige-colored shirt, dark brown shorts, blue shinobi sandals, and wrapped bandages around his right arm, chest, and right leg. He tied his hair back in a loose ponytail tied a few inches above the end, along with a black forehead protector — under which was a smaller headband with two straps that framed the sides of his face.

"But Neji—" Lee attempted to argue but was stopped by a glare. He looked like a child who'd been lectured by their parent.

There was a girl at Neji's side, who was likely the final member of Lee's team. She had brown hair and brown eyes. Her hair was styled with two buns on her head and short fringe-bangs framing her face — with the buns seeming to be her most distinguishable feature. She wore a pink sleeveless qipao-style blouse, with red sleeve trimmings and yellow fastening buttons, dark green pants, and blue shinobi sandals.

"Hey, wait a minute," the girl muttered as she looked Team 7 over. "Are you guys on Kakashi's team?"

Surprised that she had heard of them, Sakura finally spoke up, "Yes, we are," she clarified. "And who are you three?"

"I'm Tenten, and these two are Rock Lee and Neji Hyūga," Tenten introduced with a smile. "Our sensei is actually a rival of yours."

"No kidding?" Sakura replied, trying to sound intrigued by the revelation. Frankly, she couldn't imagine Kakashi being rivals with anyone.

Once it was revealed that Team 7 was Kakashi's squad, Neji focused his attention and Naruto and frowned. The look was not lost on the subject of his scrutiny. Naruto frowned back, finding Neji's attitude to be immediately off-putting. He wasn't nearly as easygoing as Hinata, it seemed.

"You're the top rookie of this year, correct?" Neji asked though it was apparent that he was only inquiring for formality's sake.

To the side, Sakura comically rolled her eyes and crossed her arms while mumbling something about how cheaters shouldn't be ranked number one. Naruto glanced at her, and a bead of sweat dripped down the side of his head. Was she going to hold the whole cheating thing against him forever?

"It was more of a tie between her and me," Naruto replied while pointing to Sayuri.

Admittedly, Sayuri was surprised that Naruto gave her any credit at all.

"A tie?" Neji responded with a scoff. "How ridiculous. You're either the best, or you're not. Which is it?"

At that point, Naruto was growing annoyed with Neji — that much was evident to Sayuri. Sakura watched the interaction with thinly veiled trepidation, while Tenten and Lee merely observed from the sidelines.

With a visible scowl, Naruto responded, "What's it to you?"

"I was just interested in seeing the quality of this year's rookie class," Neji said. "From what I can see, you don't appear all that special."

Naruto's hand twitched in a clear sign of aggression, which Neji immediately noticed. Choosing to interpret the gesture as a threat, he lunged forward with surprising speed. Naruto reacted by summoning what looked to be a chakra baton in his right hand — indicating his lack of intent to use lethal force. He moved to slam the baton down on Neji's head but was surprised when his right arm was jabbed with a multitude of quick strikes. The hits were light, but Naruto immediately lost all feeling in his right arm, and his chakra weapon vanished.

'His hand speed is crazy,' Naruto thought in shock. Neji's movement speed was easy enough for him to keep up with, but the speed of his strikes was something he'd never dealt with before. Naruto was then knocked off his feet by a palm strike to the chest.

Seeing her teammate being attacked prompted Sayuri to activate her Sharingan. In response, the veins around Neji's eyes became visible, indicating that he had activated his Byakugan. The two dōjutsu users looked poised to fight, but they were each stopped by Sakura and Tenten, respectively. On the ground, Naruto gritted his teeth in pain as he struggled to breathe normally. His body hadn't suffered any exterior wounds, but he felt as though he'd been pierced through the chest.

"That should help you remember your place," Neji derided before walking past Team 7 on his way to the third floor.

Everyone who remained behind stood around awkwardly looked at each other before Lee and Tenten quickly caught up with Neji — both sending apologetic looks Team 7's way as they did.

"What a jerk," Sakura mumbled before crouching down at Naruto's side. Her previous annoyance at his lack of academic integrity appeared all but forgotten. "Are you okay?"

Naruto simply grunted and stood back to his feet. His right arm hung limply at his side, though he stubbornly ignored the pain and inconvenience and instead opted to glare at the floor. Under normal circumstances, Sayuri would have teased him for getting embarrassed like that. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to say the words. Frankly, after what she saw, she wasn't sure if she would have fared any better against Neji — loathed as she was to admit it.

"Are you sure?" Sakura asked again, clearly concerned. "You don't look too good."

"I'm fine!" Naruto snapped, causing Sakura to flinch back. Before anything else could be said, he turned and made his way down the hall and to the third floor.

Sayuri and Sakura exchanged a brief look before following him.

* * *

Upon entering the testing room, Team 7 was immediately the source of everyone's attention. The majority of people seemed to have arrived even before they did and were sending them intimidating stares. Most participants looked to be in their late teens, with some even appearing to be adults. Sayuri noticed Sakura swallow a lump in her throat, and for a moment, pondered the idea of comforting her. However, in the end, she wasn't entirely comfortable and opted not to.

"There sure are a lot of people here," Sakura muttered. "And they all look like they want to kill us."

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck with his left hand while his right arm continued to hang limply at his side, "Glare back, Sakura. Show them that you're not to be messed with," he proposed with a smirk — though after speaking he winced for a split second through clenched teeth.

While Sakura blushed at the suggestion, Sayuri frowned as she examined Naruto's condition. Even with a few minutes having passed, his breathing still seemed labored, and his arm was still injured. Usually, Naruto was a pain in the ass to even bruise. Yet, Neji somehow managed to inflict lasting damage in a way that she had never seen before.

Once they began settling in, Team 7 was reunited with the rest of their graduating class. Sakura and Ino started talking immediately — an odd mixture of insults and affection that Sayuri couldn't quite understand. Was that what most friendships were like? She supposed that she and Naruto's relationship was a bit like that, but heavier on the insults and light on the affection. While Sakura and Ino caught up, Shikamaru leaned against the wall in a struggle to stay awake, and Chōji stuffed his face with potato chips.

On the other side, Sayuri noticed Team 8 as well. Kiba was glaring back at the other participants, and Shino was observing them with cautious pragmatism. Meanwhile, Hinata greeted her with a nod — which Sayuri reciprocated — before looking at Naruto with a bit of concern. Realizing that he didn't look in the mood to talk, she approached Sayuri's side.

"Is Naruto alright?" Hinata asked in a subdued tone, so nobody else was able to hear. "Did something happen?"

Sayuri nodded, "He was attacked by someone from your clan," she explained.

Immediately putting two and two together, Hinata's eyes widened in surprise. Only one other Hyūga was taking the exam — at least as far as she knew — and that was her cousin, Neji. Hinata then proceeded to activate her Byakugan and give Naruto a careful look over, "Some of the chakra points in his chest and right forearm have been interrupted. How is he even standing?" she said in slight awe.

Without another word, Hinata approached Naruto and asked how he was doing. Initially, he played it off, but after some persistence on her part, he eventually conceded that he had been injured. Unsurprisingly, Hinata offered to help and proceeded to place her hand on Naruto's injured chest. She then began to unblock the unaffected chakra points one by one. Sayuri scowled as she noticed a slight flush to Hinata's cheeks throughout the entire process. What the hell was that about?

"Woah, I actually feel a lot better already," Naruto voiced in surprise once she was finished. "I'm not used to being hurt for that long, ya know?"

Hinata nodded, "Your chakra is strong, and for some reason, it seems to heal your wounds automatically," she observed. "Just now, I watched your chakra trying to heal your injuries, but the disruption of your chakra points was making it take longer than usual. Hopefully, it should be all better now."

For some reason, Sayuri felt a strong urge to butt into Naruto and Hinata's private time, "Who is this Neji guy, anyway?" she asked.

A look of sadness passed over Hinata's face at the mention of Neji's name, "He's my cousin," she revealed, prompting Naruto's eyes to widen in surprise. "I apologize for his actions. He can be…difficult to deal with, but he has his reasons. Please don't hold it against him."

Naruto rolled his eyes and began to test his right hand — noticing that he was already beginning to regain feeling in the limb, "Whatever. Screw that guy," he muttered.

The Rookie Nine were then approached by a much older genin who wore a Hidden Leaf Headband. He had black eyes and ash-grey hair, which he kept in a ponytail. He also wore a dark purple shirt with a high collar, a white under-shirt, and dark purple pants with a white cloth waistband. His most prominent feature was his black-rimmed circular glasses. Immediately, Sayuri felt as though he couldn't be trusted.

He introduced himself as Kabuto Yakushi and warned them that the exams were no joke. He then proceeded to pull out a stack of information cards that apparently had intel on everyone taking the exams. He showed them info on a few people, including Rock Lee, Neji Hyūga, and a boy from the Hidden Sand Village named Gaara, who apparently had never suffered an injury. Kabuto also provided information on the other villages. He confessed that he had little information on the Hidden Sound shinobi taking the exam but claimed that this wasn't an issue since they were a new village of little prominence.

Having overheard his comments, the lone team from the Hidden Sound Village attacked Kabuto unprovoked. The fight was short and one-sided, as a strange boy with bandages covering most of his face and a straw raincoat on his back landed a bizarre attack that appeared to do damage, even though it missed its mark. Kabuto's glasses were shattered, and he collapsed onto his knees before vomiting on the floor.

"Seems you aren't faster than sound — go figure," the boy from the sound village taunted.

Now that he was no longer moving, Sayuri could get a better look at him. As noted previously, he was almost entirely covered in bandages and wore a straw raincoat. Underneath that, he wore a large poncho with long sleeves, a snake patterned scarf around his neck, and a strange gauntlet on his right arm that was lined with holes. Sayuri immediately deduced that the gauntlet was the source of his peculiar ability.

His two teammates stood at his side, one a girl and the other a boy. The girl had fair skin, black eyes with very long black hair, almost reaching down to the ground, tied by a violet ribbon right near the end. She wore a pale green vest somewhat similar to a flak jacket, snake patterned pants with a snake patterned skirt over it, and a snake patterned scarf around her neck. The boy was dressed similarly, with the same scarf. He wore a beige shirt with two black stripes and three prints of the kanji for death down the front. His forehead protector also had an attached happuri under the cloth.

"That's enough!" a powerful voice boomed as the smoke cleared. The man in question was large and imposing. He wore a darker version of the Intelligence Division's standard uniform, along with a black trench coat and gloves. He also wore a black bandana as his forehead protector, which covered the entirety of his head. Behind him were many other people wearing similar uniforms.

"My name is Ibiki Morino, and I will be your proctor for the first exam," he greeted with an almost sadistic smirk. "From this moment on, consider me your worst enemy."

* * *

Kakashi sat in the Jōnin Standby Station while his students were taking the first exam. In particular, he was relaxing on the top floor of the building, in the lounge. The room was a circular room with multiple windows, long red sofas that surrounded a single pillar with plants growing around it, and a small green vent. It was where jōnin typically waited when off duty. For the exams, the building was reserved for all jōnin whose teams were participating in the exams — foreign jōnin included.

Admittedly, Kakashi felt rather strange not having his team around. Naruto was always stirring up trouble and keeping things interesting. Sakura was inquisitive and always knew just how to make him feel like the coolest teacher around. And Sayuri was always fun to observe. Her reactions to Naruto's behavior was usually quite amusing since she was such a stoic person.

"I have to admit, I miss them," Kakashi confessed out loud to his two companions.

Across from him sat Kurenai and her husband, Asuma Sarutobi. All three of them had attended the Academy together in their youths. While their journeys had different stops and destinations, they each found themselves together once more. Asuma and Kurenai had married young, as many shinobi tended to do, and had a child just as they entered their twenties. It made Kakashi think about his own legacy. Traditionally, shinobi were encouraged to produce an heir as soon as they were of eligible age. There was no telling when one could die on a mission.

"Yeah, mine are a pretty good group too," Asuma replied before taking a drag from his cigarette and blowing out a cloud of smoke — earning an annoyed look from Kurenai for his trouble.

"I really wish you'd stop with that disgusting habit," Kurenai complained with a scrunched-up face.

Asuma sighed. This was clearly a conversation they'd had many times before, "I can't smoke near the house because of the kid, so let me enjoy myself now while I can," he countered before inhaling once more. "Besides, I'm a Sarutobi. We're practically born with smoke in our lungs and fire in our veins."

"I swear, if Mirai picks up smoking from you, I'll scramble your brain and turn you into a vegetable."

The trio continued speaking until they noticed another person enter the room. He was young — young enough to where Kakashi initially assumed that he was a lost exam participant. He had slanted blue eyes and long golden blond hair, which he wore drawn into a long ponytail — while his left bang concealed almost the entirety of the left side of his face. He wore a blue and grey kimono jacket with a fishnet under-shirt inside, dark pants with zōri sandals, and a belt-like pouch with a chain. He also wore a Hidden Stone headband on his forehead — which almost went unnoticed due to his aforementioned left bang.

The stranger ignored them entirely and walked over to the other side of the room and sat down where nobody would be able to see him. Meanwhile, Kakashi's mind raced through an internal catalog of names and faces as he attempted to figure out why the man looked so familiar. Eventually, he recalled a name.

"Deidara," Kakashi spoke lowly, loud enough for Asuma and Kurenai to hear, but too quiet for their new guest. "He's a member of the Hidden Stone's Explosion Corps."

Kurenai seemed to have no idea who he was, while Asuma frowned in recognition. The Explosion Corps was infamous for their brutal and destructive tactics, garnering a similar reputation to that of the Hidden Mist's Seven Shinobi Swordsmen. In particular, Deidara was known for using one of the Hidden Stones forbidden jutsu, which allowed him to knead his chakra into clay to create explosives. He was something of a prodigy in his village.

"There's only one Hidden Stone team this year. He must be their team leader," Asuma deduced before taking another drag from his cigarette.

"Is he particularly deadly?" Kurenai inquired.

Asuma scoffed, "The kid's like — what? — seventeen? And I'm not even sure how I'd fare against him," he confessed. "I've heard some wild stories about him." **(1)**

Kakashi felt a hint of unease in the pit of his stomach. The Hidden Stone seldom participated in international events like the Chūnin Exams because of their isolated and confrontational foreign policy. The only reason they'd send a team over now was if they were trying to show off their toys and make a statement.

'This could be trouble,' Kakashi thought to himself. He hoped that his team was careful. It seemed that there were some big fish in the exams this year.

* * *

After introducing himself to the participants, Ibiki handed everyone a number which determined where they would be sitting. There was a conscious effort to ensure that the teams were separated from each other, so there would be no cooperation. After that, Ibiki explained that they would be taking a written test with 10 questions. Each participant would start off with ten points total, and for every question they got wrong, they would lose a point. Furthermore, teams passed and failed based on the total scores between all three members — and if one person got a zero, then the entire team failed.

Cheating was prohibited, and every time a participant was caught, they would receive a two-point deduction. To make this even more complicated, the entire room was surrounded by sentinels watching their every move. With that said, it meant a participant could only afford to be caught cheating 5 times before their score would be reduced to zero, and their entire team would fail.

Sakura scowled at the mention of cheating, 'It feels like these rules were put in place for cheaters like Naruto,' she grumbled internally. She was still somewhat miffed that the number one student in her class obtained his rank through cheating.

Once the test began, everyone flipped over their papers and got started. Sakura was immediately surprised when she scanned over the questions. They were incredibly advanced — the kind of stuff that jōnin should be expected to answer, not chūnin hopefuls. Sakura gulped. Tests were usually her strong point, yet even she needed to rack her brain to find the answers. Sakura wasn't arrogant by any means, but Sayuri and Naruto wouldn't have a chance answering questions like this — hell, she'd wager that most people in the room couldn't!

'Calm down,' Sakura thought to herself. 'Just get through the test and have faith that your teammates will find a way.'

* * *

The moment Naruto laid eyes on his test, a drop of sweat dripped down the side of his head. How the hell was he supposed to be expected to answer questions like those? Only a nerd like Sakura would be able to pass the first exam — and that wouldn't do her any good since the scores were tallied based on team totals.

'Well, I knew this was going to happen,' Naruto thought, knowing full well that he was going to need to cheat to pass.

Naruto then placed his hands underneath his desk, cut his thumb with a chakra kunai, and performed the hand seals for the Summoning Jutsu. He managed to do so stealthily enough so that nobody could see or hear him, and once he was finished, a miniature toad was perched on the top of his right hand. Naruto exchanged a glance with the small amphibian. The creature immediately activated the Camouflage Jutsu and became utterly invisible to the naked eye.

'Go on, little guy. Get me some answers.'

The small toad then climbed onto his desk before beginning an investigation of the room to see who had the answers that Naruto was looking for. Eventually, the toad landed next to Sakura's paper and watched as she scribbled answer after answer with admirable gusto. Naruto felt amused that he would pass the first exam by cheating off the same person that he copied off of in the Academy.

'And everything comes full circle,' Naruto remarked to himself before grinning. 'Let's just keep this a secret from Sakura.'

* * *

Sayuri looked down at her paper and scowled. There was no way in hell she'd be able to answer even a single question. While she was no bookworm like Sakura, she did well enough on tests at the Academy to know that her present circumstances were not caused by a lack of intelligence. No, this test was too difficult for any genin to complete on their own.

Maybe that was the point?

It was strange that the exam participants would need to be caught cheating five times before being failed. Never before had Sayuri taken any kind of test where someone was essentially allowed to cheat four times before they were finally kicked out. It was almost like the examiners were encouraging them to cheat. It was then that the realization finally hit Sayuri like a ton of bricks. This exam wasn't designed to test their academic knowledge, but rather, their ability to gather information.

After activating her Sharingan, Sayuri noticed something odd on one of the desks. She was able to see a small toad that appeared to be using the Camouflage Jutsu, looking over Sakura's paper. With her Sharingan, she was able to see the toad's chakra, but nobody else in the room would be able to. Knowing only one person that summoned toads, Sayuri smirked as she realized that Naruto must have reached the same conclusion that she did.

'I need to identify someone who looks like they know what they're doing,' Sayuri thought to herself as she subtly scanned over the room.

Eventually seeing a man who was answering the questions strangely quickly. With her Sharingan activated, Sayuri began to copy his pencil strokes. She wrote in perfect sync with him and promptly began filling out her test with very detailed answers that she could have never come up with on her own.

'I'm definitely telling Sakura that Naruto cheated off of her again,' Sayuri thought to herself with a small smirk. Now that would be amusing.

* * *

Around the classroom, many other students were cheating as well. Hinata and Neji both activated their Byakugans and scanned over everyone's tests until they found one that was completed. Tenten used wires to manipulate the mirrors on the ceiling so that she and Lee could steal other people's answers. Kiba had Akamaru read out answers from atop his head. Dosu listened to the sound of pencils hitting paper and used that to find the right answers. Gaara created an eye out of sand that he used as a medium to look over a nearby test taker's shoulder. Shino stole answers using one of his insects. And finally, Ino used the Mind Transfer Jutsu to enter Sakura's body, read over her test, and pass along the answers to Shikamaru and Chōji.

Every once in a while, the proctors would call out the numbers of certain participants, indicating that they had been caught five times and failed — along with the rest of their team. Once the allotted time passed, everyone who managed to make it through without being caught were the only remaining people in the room. Now, it was time for the tenth and final question.

"All right, listen up, everyone!" Ibiki finally called out. "It's time for the tenth question!"

Sakura rubbed her achy head — still recovering from Ino's jutsu — and listened closely to Ibiki's words.

"However, before we continue, there is something that I must explain," Ibiki said. "First things first, you have the right to choose whether or not you'll be given the final question. If you choose this option, you will be given a zero regardless of your answers on the first nine, and you and your team will automatically be failed. But there is still one more rule after that…"

There was an eruption of muttering throughout the room as everyone collectively wondered what the hell was going on. Why would they choose not to answer the tenth question if refusing meant automatic failure?

"If you do accept the tenth question, and answer it incorrectly, you will not only fail but will also be barred from taking the Chūnin Exams ever again!"

Now everyone's responses were a bit more vocal. For example, Kiba voiced open opposition to the final rule, which earned shouts of agreement from other like-minded participants.

"Too bad, I wasn't making the rules before, but now I am. If it bothers you so much, then just skip the question and try again next year," Ibiki countered. "Anyone who wishes to skip the final question, need only raise their hands, and you, along with the rest of your team, will be dismissed."

After considering their options, a significant number of participants decided not to test their luck and raised their hands. Sakura watched those who opted to skip the final question file out of the room and wondered if they were making the right choice. She analyzed the situation and found that the most logical decision would be to leave. Nobody even knew what the tenth question was, so it could be impossible to answer. And yet, Sakura glanced over at Sayuri and Naruto and noticed that there wasn't a hint of doubt in their posture or demeanor.

'We'll pass or fail together,' Sakura thought as a look of determination passed over her face. 'Even if we have to be genin forever.'

Once everyone who decided to skip the final question was gone, only seventy-eight participants remained in the room. Ibiki appeared to appraise those who stayed behind before nodding his head. Sakura clenched her fists as she assumed that he was going to announce the final question.

"Well then, to those who have chosen to stay, I offer my respect," Ibiki said. "There is only one thing left for me to say…which is that you all pass the first exam!"

Everyone in the room stared at Ibiki as though he'd grown a second head. He then explained that there wasn't a tenth question at all. It was merely a test to determine their resolve to complete a hopeless mission. The first nine questions were simply put in place to test everyone's information gathering skills. There were also several proctors disguised as students hidden among everyone who had all of the correct answers. Sayuri recognized one of them as the man that she cheated off of.

Then, out of nowhere, before Ibiki could finish announcing that the first exam was completed, a shadowy figure spectacularly crashed through the window. A large tarp was then displayed in front of Ibiki, using kunai at each corner to keep it in place. The sign served as an announcement that the second exam had begun, and in front stood a strange-looking woman.

She had light brown, pupil-less eyes, with violet hair styled in a short, spiky, fanned-out ponytail. She wore a fitted mesh bodysuit that covered her from neck to thigh. Over that, she wore a tan overcoat with a purple in-seam, a pocket on each side, a dark orange mini-skirt, a dark blue belt, and pale grey shin guards. In addition to the typical forehead protector, she also wore a small pendant that looked like a snake fang.

"Alright maggots, now's not the time for celebrating," the woman shouted exuberantly. "I'm Anko Mitarashi, and I'll be your proctor for the second exam! I hope that you're all ready!"

Everyone sat in stunned silence. Sakura lurched back when she saw how scantily-clad their new proctor was. Meanwhile, several boys in the room were shamelessly ogling Anko's body like hungry dogs that were just tossed a steak. Sayuri rolled her eyes at the display. Boys were so predictable.

Behind the tarp, Ibiki deadpanned, "You're early," he informed coolly. Based on the interaction, it was evident that this kind of thing happened a lot.

Anko blushed in a mixture of anger and embarrassment as nobody in the room shared her bizarre enthusiasm. Once she calmed herself down, she scanned over the room, and a look of surprise passed over her face. She then turned to Ibiki with a look of skepticism.

"How many are there?" Anko asked. "You let this many pass? Your test must have been too easy."

Ibiki shrugged, "There seems to be an excellent crop this year."

Anko appeared unconvinced, "Hmph, you've definitely grown soft," she remarked. "By the time I'm done with them, more than half will be taken out of the game."

"Alright, maggots. Things may have been easy for you up until now, but starting tomorrow morning, the real exams will begin," Anko announced. "I'll let your squad leaders know where you'll need to meet me. Until then, you're dismissed.

Sakura's heart sank at the Anko's bold declarations. It was disheartening to see that their next proctor was someone who seemed to pride herself on how difficult her exam was.

* * *

Deidara leaned back into a couch at the Hidden Leaf's Jōnin Standby Station and sighed comfortably. Compared to back home in the Hidden Stone Village, the Leaf was so colorful and artistic. Even while relaxing, he couldn't help but be overtaken by an almost manic degree of inspiration. His art was perfect and sublime, and he felt as though he'd just stumbled upon the perfect canvas to demonstrate his talents to the world.

Another man soon sat down next to Deidara and said nothing. He was very tall, with two distinctive, red markings on his face's right side — which was the only visible part of his head. The rest was covered by his turban-like headgear and by a sheet hanging from it on the left side of his face. He donned the standard attire of a Hidden Sand shinobi, complete with a forehead protector and flak jacket.

"Are you Baki?" Deidara casually asked without opening his eyes.

Baki's frowned but also refused to look in Deidara's direction, "I advise that you be more cautious during your stay here. I could have been anyone."

"But you weren't," Deidara retorted with a smirk before deciding to get right to the point of their meeting. "Well, are we in business or what?"

It didn't even look as though Deidara and Baki were speaking to anyone who could see them. They barely moved their lips when they spoke and never looked in each other's direction. Deidara appeared as though he was taking a nap, while Baki looked out the window and observed the scenery. The Hidden Leaf was so vibrant and full of life. The Hidden Sand Village couldn't be any more different.

"The agreed-upon sum has been dropped off in your hotel room," Baki muttered quietly.

Deidara seemed pleased, "Then I'm your man," he said. "Any chance you'll finally let me in on this plan of yours?"

"Soon. When the preparations begin," Baki assured. "Does anyone else know about our dealings?"

With a light scoff, Deidara replied, "I wouldn't be sitting here if I told anyone. Old man Tsuchikage would turn me to dust if he found out what we were up to."

"And the boy, Han. Will you be able to control him?" Baki asked. "You assured us that he was on board."

"That freak didn't need any convincing," Deidara replied, revealing that Han was privy to their scheme. "He'll jump at any opportunity to go on a rampage. The other two, though — Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi — can't know a thing. They'll go straight to the Tsuchikage if they find out."

Baki nodded, "They aren't required for our plan. We only need the Jinchūriki," he said ominously. "I will keep in touch."

Without another word, Baki stood up from the couch and left the room. Once he was finally gone, Deidara grinned in satisfaction. There was no better feeling than getting paid to do what you loved. He looked back out the window and once more admired the Hidden Leaf Village.

'Such a sprawling place with beautiful architecture and happy people,' Deidara thought with a sick smile. 'All the more reason to blow it sky-high.'

* * *

**~End~**

* * *

**(1) Deidara is a year older in this story than he is in canon. In Shippuden, he was four years older than the Rookie Nine, while in this story, he is five years older — the same age as Itachi.**

**I hope that you guys enjoyed the new chapter. The Wave Arc is finally over, and the Chūnin Exams have begun! This will be the most enjoyable arc to write so far, no doubt.**

**So, as you can see, there are more characters in my version of the Chūnin Exams arc. I've included a team from the Hidden Stone Village and decided that Deidara would be the coolest person to serve as their squad leader. Also, I'm not sure what Han's personality was supposed to be like in canon (since he wasn't explored as a character) but in this story he's kind of a violent outcast like Gaara. I won't write them the exact same way though, I'm just saying that they are similar.  
**

**Thanks again for your continued support!**


	9. The Forest of Death

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. All characters in this story, excluding those that are created by me, are the intellectual property of Masashi Kishimoto. Please show support by reading or watching the original source material.**

* * *

**~Confronting the Shadow: Chapter Nine~**

* * *

" **The Forest of Death"**

There had been a couple of instances in Sakura's life where she wondered if becoming a shinobi was a mistake. The first was when she was nearly killed by the Demon Brothers. The second was watching the high-level battle between Kakashi and Zabuza. The third was when she almost got her skull split in two by Mangetsu Hōzuki. And now, finally, the fourth was when she looked into the Forest of Death for the first time. To say that the place was a veritable hellscape would be an understatement.

The trees were so thick that very little light managed to penetrate through the leaves and branches. Therefore, standing outside and looking in, the fenced-in training area appeared as though it was somehow perpetually evening inside. It made Sakura wonder what it was like to be inside that place once the sun set. Well, odds were she was about to find out.

"I think I just heard an animal getting eaten in there," Naruto remarked as he Sayuri and Sakura stood in front of their designated gate. "That's crazy. Did you hear its bones crunch?"

"Can you please not?" Sakura snapped, earning a look from Naruto. "I'm nervous enough as it is. I don't need your grisly commentary."

Upon arriving at the testing location, it was revealed that they would be participating in a survival exam. Each team would be given one of two scrolls, either Heaven or Earth. The objective was to obtain the other scroll and make it to the central tower within the one-hundred-and-twenty-hour time limit. To make matters worse, they were required to sign waivers beforehand — the implications of which nearly caused Sakura's knees to tremble.

Naruto shrugged, "I'm a descriptive soul," he countered.

Internally, Sakura crunched the numbers. In total, twenty-six teams passed the first exam. That meant that thirteen of the teams would have Heaven Scrolls, and the other thirteen would have Earth Scrolls. So, at max, only thirteen teams would be able to pass since each team needed two scrolls to proceed. This, however, did not account for the possibility that some teams may die or be unable to make the time limit. Therefore, it was more likely that less than thirteen teams would make it through the second test. Sakura wagered it would be closer to somewhere between five and eight teams when she factored in the many different variables that the forest presented.

"We need to decide who's going to carry the scroll," Sakura spoke up, looking over at the Heaven Scroll that was in Sayuri's possession.

"I will," Sayuri replied immediately, her tone leaving little opportunity for debate. She then proceeded to place the scroll into her weapon pouch, as if to prevent either of them from trying to take it from her.

She would get no argument from Sakura.

In Sakura's eyes, Sayuri was the logical choice to carry the scroll. She was the perfect balance of strength and responsibility. Sakura may be the most cautious and analytical member of Team 7, but she wasn't strong enough to protect the scroll from the more powerful exam participants. On the other hand, Naruto was just as strong as Sayuri was, but he was also careless at times.

"If that's what you want to do, then come over here — and bring the scroll," Naruto said to Sayuri before rummaging through his weapon pouch.

Initially reluctant to follow along, Sayuri eventually complied when she noticed that Naruto didn't seem to be joking around. He then pulled out a brush and a canister of ink, which Sayuri found odd. Was he going to write her some sort of note? Or maybe he was going to paint the scroll to disguise the fact that it was a Heaven Scroll?

"Choose a hand and stick it out."

After a moment of thought, Sayuri extended her left hand and nearly flinched when Naruto grabbed it with his own left hand. He then removed her white wrist warmer and turned her hand over, exposing her underarm. After that, he began to paint a strange-looking diagram on her wrist, which mostly consisted of small kanji and the occasional symbol. Once he was apparently finished, the kanji were left with an empty circle in the middle encircled by three arrows. Naruto then took the scroll out of Sayuri's other hand and placed it directly on top of the symbols he had drawn.

With a look of concentration, Naruto muttered, "Seal!"

The Heaven Scroll immediately vanished in a puff of smoke, and the circle at the center of the three arrows was filled in by the kanji for the word scroll. Apparently satisfied with his work, Naruto stepped away with a small smirk before handing Sayuri her arm warmer back. Needless to say, his teammates had questions.

"I have to say, Sayuri. You have surprisingly soft skin."

Despite her best efforts, Sayuri blushed at the unexpected compliment. She then quickly composed herself, "What the hell did you just do?"

Naruto grinned, "Just some basic fūinjutsu. It's simple enough if you practice. I can teach you guys later if you want," he explained. "If you need to remove the scroll, all you have to do is channel your chakra into the seal, and it will be released. For now, though, I suggest you put your wrist warmer back on, so nobody sees it."

Sayuri scowled, "Let me guess, the perverted old man who taught you how to summon toads taught you that too?" she asked, while indignantly following his instructions and putting her wrist warmer back on. Naruto simply nodded in response with his trademark cheeky grin. "How many other techniques are you going to conveniently pull out of your ass?"

"That's the last one, I swear."

Sakura appeared baffled and out of the loop, "A perverted old man?" she asked before shaking her head. "And what was that about toads?"

"It's a long story."

Before their conversation could continue, a chūnin came over with a key and unlocked their gate. They looked up at their gate — gate twelve to be specific — and mentally prepared to get started. The chūnin continued to stare at his watch until the time was precisely 1:30 PM. At that moment, the test officially started, and the gate was opened. Without any hesitation, Team 7 blurred forward and disappeared into the trees.

Once they were out of sight, the chūnin locked the gate and returned to his station.

* * *

Now that they were in the Forest of Death, Team 7 immediately felt that it lived up to its name. Everything in the forest was unnatural. The trees were massive, and so was the wildlife. And as noted previously, very little light managed to break through the leaves and branches above, making it feel like they had been transported into a completely different time zone. Eventually, the trio found a relatively defendable position and landed to discuss their strategy.

"Sakura, I'm sure that you've already assessed the situation," Sayuri said. "You should take the lead."

Surprised to be chosen for such an important role, Sakura raised up her hands, "Wait, I don't know if I'm the one for the job," she responded. "One of you two should be in charge."

At Sakura's side, Naruto grinned, "Are you kidding?" he asked. "If not for you, we wouldn't have passed the bell test. You were made for this, ya know?"

As soon as Naruto finished speaking, Sayuri nodded in silent agreement. Frankly, Sakura was touched that her teammates had so much faith in her abilities. However, it was one thing to formulate a plan during a team training exercise and another thing entirely to do the same in a life or death situation. There were so many variables that Sakura couldn't account for. How strong was the competition? How much actual sleep would they be able to get in such a stressful environment? Was food plentiful or difficult to come by? These were all things that she couldn't account for with her current knowledge.

Yet, as Sakura continued to doubt herself, she remembered her desire to stand on equal footing with her teammates. Whether she thought that she was ready or not, this was her chance. If she would fail, then at least she would do so without any doubts. Furthermore, Naruto and Sayuri didn't seem like the type of people who would blame others for their failures, as they were mostly self-critical by nature.

"Alright," Sakura relented after wracking her brain for a strategy. "Naruto, how difficult would it be for you to make four shadow clones?"

"Do you even have to ask?"

Sakura smiled and nodded, "Good. We need you to have four clones maintaining a perimeter around us at all times. If they see anything suspicious, they need to create another clone to take their place and then dispel. That way, their memories will be passed on to you, and we can always know about any danger before it reaches us. While we travel, we'll stay in formation with Sayuri at the front using her Sharingan to detect any danger that might get passed the clones."

Both Naruto and Sayuri seemed onboard so far.

"Every team has the same final destination in mind," Sakura continued. "Outside of that, we don't know what the others are planning or doing. I propose that we head straight to the central tower and pick off any teams that we find on the way. If worse comes to worst and we can't get a scroll this way, we can always ambush teams as they approach the tower."

As soon as Sakura finished explaining her strategy, Naruto immediately created four shadow clones, and they fanned out to create a perimeter. Team 7 then entered a triangle formation, with Sayuri at the front determining their route — with her Sharingan activated, as instructed. Seeing her teammates following through with her recommendations without any hint of doubt or disagreement brought a pleasant feeling to Sakura's chest. It was difficult not to feel more confident with such support from her comrades.

With their strategy being employed, Team 7 began their journey to the central tower. For the initial portion of the trek, they remained silent and focused. Having just entered the forest mere minutes ago, it was difficult to NOT be on guard. Everything was huge and terrifying. Sakura nearly gasped when she thought she saw a giant centipede coiled around a tree but kept silent in the hopes that her eyes were simply playing tricks on her.

"I'm officially bored," Naruto spoke out of the blue. "Let's talk about what we're afraid of. For me, it's got to be ghosts."

Sayuri scoffed from the front of their formation, "Ghosts? Really? There's no such thing."

"And how would you know that?" Naruto countered. "Are you some kind of ghost expert?"

"Hard to be an expert on something that doesn't exist."

While unsure if he had done so on purpose or not, Sakura was grateful that Naruto broke through the silence and initiated some casual conversation. Seeing as this was the Chūnin Exams, and they were currently moving through the most dangerous training ground in the entire village, it would be easy for them to get stressed out and make a mistake.

Sakura pondered Naruto's question carefully, "I guess I would say snakes — if I had to choose only one," Sakura revealed. "They're just so creepy."

Naruto nodded sagely before turning to Sayuri, "Well? What about you, Ms. Know-It-All?" he asked.

"I'm not afraid of anything."

"Yeah, right," Naruto replied. "I remember you were trembling like a leaf when we first fought Zabuza."

Even from behind, Sakura noticed the slight red hue that spread across Sayuri's cheeks at the accusation. Her lack of response was all the confirmation that Naruto needed if his smug look was anything to go by. To be fair, though, Sakura felt that she had no room to judge if what he said was true. She recalled that she could barely hold her kunai properly under the weight of Zabuza's killer intent.

"Shut up, loser," Sayuri growled.

With thinly-veiled amusement, Sakura awaited Naruto's reply. Over the past few months, she had grown to appreciate her teammate's little spats — as any spectator to a grand spectacle would. However, when Naruto failed to respond as she'd anticipated, Sakura and Sayuri looked over their shoulders to see that he had stopped in his tracks for no discernible reason.

With a bewildered expression on his face, Naruto attempted to explain, "My clones were just—"

Before Naruto could finish what he was trying to say, an incredibly powerful blast of wind hit like a train. Thinking on her feet, Sayuri was able to reach out and grab Sakura's arm to prevent her from being taken in as well. However, Naruto wasn't so lucky, as he seemed to take the full brunt of the attack head-on. Sayuri and Sakura were only able to keep their eyes on him for a brief moment before he was sent flying deep into the forest.

Sayuri clicked her teeth in irritation at their misfortune before quickly dragging Sakura into a nearby bush to hide while they still had the chance. While surveying the area, she noticed that the jutsu used to attack Naruto had been so powerful that it uprooted trees and left a shallow trench in the soil. While initially uncertain about what it was, Sayuri eventually concluded that it must have been a powerful wind style jutsu.

Upon regaining her bearings, Sakura's head swiveled around in worry, "Where's Naru—"

Wary of whoever just attacked them, Sayuri placed her hand on Sakura's mouth to silence her. Now more so than ever, they needed to think tactically. Naruto was strong and would be able to take care of himself, but until they could confirm what exactly they were going up against, it would be foolish to try and help him.

Sakura was initially cooperative, but then for whatever reason, she began to panic and before shaking Sayuri's hand from her mouth, "Sayuri, behind you!" she warned.

Internally cursing her inability to sense the danger, Sayuri looked over her shoulder and was astounded to see a massive snake looming over them. Unsure if it was somehow connected the whoever attacked them, or if they were just plain unlucky, she and Sakura quickly created distance and fled deeper into the forest. However, before they could advance very far, they were soon face-to-face with a strange-looking woman with long black hair and matching eyes.

The Grass kunoichi tipped her conical straw hat in greeting before smiling fiendishly, "My oh my, it would seem that I've stumbled across something rather interesting," she remarked with an almost silky voice that made Sayuri and Sakura's skin crawl. "This should be fun."

* * *

Team 8 watched in horror as they witnessed what could only be described as an utter massacre. During their search for a scroll, they had come across a standoff between two teams — one from the Hidden Sand and the other from the Hidden Rain. Initially, it appeared that the Hidden Rain team would have the upper hand. Their leader was a towering, intimidating figure with scars while his opponent, Gaara, was a pipsqueak in comparison.

Oh, how wrong they were.

Gaara displayed unnatural power, as he was shown to be capable of manipulating sand to devastating effect. One of his teammates, a boy named Kankurō, described the sand as an ultimate defense, stating that it protected Gaara from all danger, independent of his own will. The leader of the Hidden Rain team fittingly attempted to defeat Gaara with a shower of senbon needles. Yet, the attack was effortlessly blocked by the sand. Then, one by one, each member of the Hidden Rain team was bound by sand and then crushed with enough force to cause their blood to fall from the sky like rain.

"We need to get the hell out of here," Kiba advised with uncharacteristic fright. Frankly, they probably should have booked it a lot sooner.

Both Hinata and Shino were in full agreement, and Team 8 immediately turned around and made to flee. However, before they could manage to do so, a wall of sand rose and blocked their path, preventing their escape. Their hearts immediately sunk as they realized they'd been spotted. Upon looking back over their shoulders, they saw Gaara standing within arm's reach of them.

With his arms crossed over his chest, and a stoic look on his face, Gaara addressed Team 8 as a group, "Naruto Uzumaki and Sayuri Uchiha," he spoke, much to Team 8's surprise. "Do you know these names?"

The first to compose himself was Shino, who opted to not displease the guy he just watched turn three people into a literal bloody pulp, "Yes," he responded. "They were our classmates."

"Tell me everything you know," Gaara demanded in a threatening monotone.

Despite fearing for his life, Kiba couldn't help but become irate at being asked to essentially sell out his comrades, "What's it to you anyway?" he growled. However, he immediately regretted his decision when Gaara's eyes were then fixed solely on him.

"I don't like the way that you're looking at me," Gaara growled before uncrossing his arms and extending an open hand in Kiba's direction.

To his credit, Kiba stood his ground. His features became more feral, and his claws extended. Even if he probably wouldn't be able to win, he wasn't the type of person to cower away from a threat. A tendril of sand then burst from the gourd on Gaara's back and headed straight for Kiba, who managed to jump back and avoid being snatched out of the air. However, as he landed, he felt his foot sink into the ground, and he realized that Gaara had also maneuvered sand beneath his feet.

Now unable to move, Kiba could only watch in horror as another wave of sand approached — no doubt with the intention of crushing him into pieces. Hinata watched her teammate's impending doom and felt her own fear quickly be replaced by determination. She activated her Byakugan and noticed that Gaara's sand seemed to be saturated with chakra. Recognizing the possible weakness, Hinata jumped into the path of the sand and hit it with a well-placed gentle fist strike that managed to divert its course.

Upon witnessing Hinata's bravery, Gaara looked as though he had been struck across the face. He hunched over and gripped his head while muttering something faintly under his breath that couldn't quite be heard. Team 8 was hardly eager to wait there and find out. They used the unexpected interruption to flee as far as they could.

As Team 8 made their escape, they couldn't help but lament at how close they had been to death. Kiba glanced over in Hinata's direction and was unable to find any words. At first, he was miffed at the idea that someone would need to come to his rescue. However, once his adrenaline faded away and was replaced by the fear of death once more, he felt grateful at the fact that Hinata was willing to put herself between him and danger.

"Hinata," Kiba spoke up, trying to sound as confident as he could despite his nerves. "I owe you one."

With a smile, Hinata nodded, "You would have done the same for me."

* * *

Sayuri struggled to suppress her pounding heart as she hid behind a tree like a skittish animal. Loathed as she was to admit it, she and Sakura were forced to flee after their encounter with the kunoichi from the Hidden Grass Village. That woman — no — that _thing_ , was straight out of a nightmare. With a mere glance, she was able to freeze Sayuri and Sakura in place under the weight of her malice. It was only by the skin of their teeth that they were able to escape.

"Are you sure that your leg is okay?" Sakura whispered with concern.

Reminded of the injury that she suffered, Sayuri looked down at her left quad to see a puncture wound that was still oozing blood. When frozen under the Grass kunoichi's killing intent, she had been forced to stab herself with a kunai to fight through the fear. The pain briefly pulled Sayuri out from her pitiful state and allowed her to grab Sakura and escape.

"It's fine," Sayuri muttered hurriedly, inwardly disgusted at how afraid she sounded.

While she didn't seem all that convinced, Sakura relented and opted to remain silent. She was just as unnerved as Sayuri, but at the moment, her worry outweighed her fear. Naruto had been gone for a long time — and to make matters worse, he was utterly alone. Even as horrified as she was with her current circumstances, Sakura at least felt secure in the fact that she had Sayuri by her side. She didn't even want to imagine what Naruto must have been experiencing all by himself.

The forest then became quiet — too quiet for Sayuri's liking. She silently leaned out from her hiding place and took stock of her surroundings. While half expecting to see yet another colossal snake, Sayuri sighed in relief when she saw nothing. Pleased that her paranoia seemed to be misplaced in this particular case, Sayuri leaned back against the tree and sighed wearily. Maybe the Grass kunoichi had finally given up on chasing after them?

"You seem content to live as prey. How disappointing."

Sayuri's eyes widened in horror as she heard the familiar voice right next to her ear. She turned fully and saw that Grass kunoichi's face sticking out of the tree — almost as if she had melded through it. Both Sayuri and Sakura were quick to jump back. Yet, they were immediately pursued as their enemy extended her body like a snake.

Without any thought, Sayuri rapidly weaved through six hand seals, "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

After gathering chakra in her chest, Sayuri unleashed a volley of small fireballs from her mouth. The Grass kunoichi hardly seemed concerned, as she managed to elude the attack almost effortlessly as she continued to close the distance. Just as she was about to get within arm's reach of Sayuri, Sakura lunged into view and attempted to stab her with a kunai — though the attempt was easily avoided.

Sakura received a punch to the stomach for her trouble and then a knee to the face that sent her tumbling to the ground in an unconscious heap. Moving solely on the instinct to protect her teammate, Sayuri closed the distance and began to engage the Grass kunoichi in taijutsu. They traded punches and kicks, with neither landing any significant blows on the other. Sayuri then attempted a leg sweep, but the Grass kunoichi jumped over it before vanishing in a flash of speed.

Nevertheless, thanks to her Sharingan, Sayuri was able to anticipate the Grass kunoichi's counterattack. She formed the hand seals for the Fireball Jutsu and managed to achieve a direct hit. Nevertheless, her attack proved useless, as the Grass kunoichi avoided any damage by tunneling into the tree branch before emerging just underneath Sayuri's feet.

Sayuri avoided being grabbed by leaping into the air and landing several feet away. There was then a brief interlude in the fighting where they both seemed to observe one another. The Grass kunoichi seemed rather pleased with how the battle was progressing and didn't appear winded at all. On the other hand, Sayuri's chest rose and fell visibly as she felt a surge of adrenaline course through her body. Never before had she felt so in control of her actions. It was exhilarating. All of Sayuri's fear was now wholly forgotten.

"You nearly burned my hair just now," the Grass kunoichi remarked while casually inspecting her dark locks. "How rude."

With a smirk now present on her face, Sayuri rummaged through her weapon pouch and felt a handful of shuriken, along with a spool of shinobi wire. Having everything that she needed, she jumped off the tree branch and threw every shuriken she had at the Grass kunoichi. Predictably, they were avoided with minimal effort; however, that was precisely what Sayuri was planning on.

It was only at the last second that the Grass kunoichi noticed that there were wires attached to each of the shuriken. Using her hands and teeth, Sayuri altered the paths of the shuriken, which in turn resulted in her opponent being pinned against the tree by the wires. Before the Grass kunoichi was allowed to move, Sayuri formed four hand seals and spewed a stream of flames from her mouth that extended all the way down the wires to hit her opponent dead-on.

Sakura awoke to the smell of burning flesh and a shrill shriek of agony. Initially worried about Sayuri's safety, she was relieved to learn that the screams had originated from their enemy. After standing up on wobbly legs, Sakura regained her balance before jumping up the tree to crouch down at her teammate's side. Now that the battle was over, Sayuri fell onto her butt as the adrenaline that had been keeping her going gradually faded away.

"You did it!" Sakura exclaimed.

Too tired to respond, Sayuri could only bring herself to smirk at the praise. However, Sakura's declaration was then revealed to have been premature.

Both Sayuri and Sakura watched in horror as the Grass kunoichi broke free from the wires as if nothing happened. By this point, a portion of her skin appeared to have been peeled off of her face, revealing sickly pale skin and serpentine golden eye underneath. Before Sayuri and Sakura could even decide whether to continue fighting or flee, the Grass kunoichi formed a hand seal. Once more, they rendered them completely paralyzed.

"To possess such skill at your age is a marvel, indeed," the Grass kunoichi complimented — though her gender immediately came into question as her voice suddenly changed into that of a man's. "Yes. I think I'll make you mine."

The man — as he was now revealed to be — then placed his palm upon his headband before pulling it back again to reveal that he replaced the Hidden Grass symbol with a Hidden Sound symbol. Meanwhile, Sayuri tensed her body as she attempted to break free from the paralysis. Yet, unlike last time, she wasn't even able to injure herself to break free. Had this man just been toying with them the whole time?

"You are definitely his sister. If anything, I'd argue that your eyes hide even more potential than Itachi's," the man continued, immediately capturing Sayuri's attention at the mention of her brother's name. "It would be a crime to let him have you all to himself."

"Who the hell are you?" Sayuri demanded. "What are you after?"

The man produced an eerie smile, "I am Orochimaru," he revealed. "But as to what I want, that can wait for later. For now, I'd suggest that you do everything in your power to pass this exam. Though, that may require you to defeat my servants — the team from the Hidden Sound Village."

Before Sayuri was even allowed to respond, Orochimaru extended his neck all the way over to her, and he bit her right above her shoulder. Almost immediately, she felt a sharp pain shoot through her body. The paralysis that had been keeping her place was now an afterthought, as Sayuri collapsed onto her knees and writhed in visible agony. Sakura watched on in worry as a black mark, consisting of three tomoe, soon appeared right where she had been bitten.

"What did you do to her?!" Sakura screamed. Her concern for her teammate's safety was briefly overshadowing her fear of Orochimaru.

Orochimaru began to chuckle ominously as he slowly sank into the ground, "Think of that as a present for her to remember me by. I'm sure that she'll find it useful," he explained before disappearing into the ground entirely. "Until next time."

Sakura was hardly given a chance to celebrate Orochimaru's departure, as she was far too concerned with Sayuri's condition. The mark itself was worrisome enough, even without its sinister origins. However, to make matters worse, it also seemed to cause Sayuri ungodly pain — which was so incredibly intense that she eventually passed out due to shock.

'I need you, Naruto,' Sakura thought in terror as she realized that she was now all alone. 'Please be okay.'

* * *

The first thing Naruto saw upon regaining consciousness was a girl that he'd never met before kneeling at his side. She had crimson eyes, fair skin, and striking red hair worn in an unusual style. The right side was short and spiky, while the left side was long and straight. Naruto also noticed sunlight reflecting off of her face and realized that she was wearing glasses.

"It's about time you woke up," the girl complained. "Do you know how many animals I had to fend off while you were asleep?"

Naruto raised a single brow, "How many?"

"Well, just one — but it was a giant snake!"

A drop of sweat trickled down the side of Naruto's head at the admittedly small number, "Well, thanks. I guess," he said. "The name's Naruto. What's yours?"

"I'm Karin."

Oddly comfortable around the strange girl, Naruto decided to sit up and stretch. Almost immediately, he noticed that his muscles were extremely sore and cramped. No doubt, he'd suffered no small number of injuries after being flung through the forest. Anyone else in Naruto's position would have probably broken bones or possibly even died. It was moments like these that he was grateful for being built so tough.

"How long was I out?"

After performing a mental estimate, Karin responded, "I'd wager a couple of hours."

Naruto did a double-take at the revelation, "Wait, seriously?!" he shouted. "I need to go and find my team. They need me!"

Karin watched in silence as Naruto jumped to his feet in a panic. However, before he ran off to search for his comrades, she decided to offer some helpful advice.

"You're not going to be able to find them by yourself," Karin explained, causing Naruto to halt in place. "Like I said, you were out for a couple of hours. They could be anywhere by now."

_Or they could be dead._

Naruto immediately banished the negative thought as soon as it arrived. Sayuri and Sakura weren't weak — they wouldn't die so easily.

"So, what are you proposing that I do?" Naruto asked with a frown. "Nothing?"

Karin shook her head, "I never said that," she responded. "Your teammates are the Uchiha and that pink-haired girl, right?"

After a moment of hesitation, Naruto nodded his head. Initially, he was reluctant to reveal anything about his team to a complete stranger. However, seeing as he was worried about their safety, he made the decision to trust Karin.

"Well, lucky for you, I'm a sensory type," Karin explained. "And I made an effort to memorize the chakra signatures of all the dangerous-looking teams before the exams even started."

Naruto appeared skeptical, "So you're saying that you can sense Sayuri and Sakura right now?"

"I can sense the Uchiha girl's chakra, yeah," Karin clarified. "But at the time, I didn't think that your other teammate's chakra was worth remembering — no offense. There is a second person there, though. So, it's probably her."

A wave of relief immediately passed through Naruto's body at the revelation that his teammates were alive. Who would have thought that out of everyone currently in the forest, he would be found by the one person who could find out where his teammates were located? Granted, Naruto was still a bit miffed that he had to go find them in the first place, but he would take what he could get.

Yet, before he could be comfortable going anywhere with Karin, Naruto had a question that he needed answered first, "Why are you helping me?" he asked. It was a fair question, considering the fact that they were competitors in an exam.

Karin fidgeted under Naruto's gaze, "My team didn't make it," she revealed in apparent sorrow. "And I don't stand any chance surviving here by myself. At this point, I've already failed the test. Now I'm just trying to make it out of here alive."

"I see," Naruto replied. "Well, if you help me find my teammates, you can stick with us on our way to the tower. Does that work for you?"

Based on Karin's pleased expression, it was clear that Naruto's plan was something along the lines of what she had probably thought of herself. Honestly, if she proved to be capable of getting him to his team in once peace — and after making an effort to protect him while he was unconscious — Naruto felt that protecting her on the way to the tower was the least that he could do.

"Alright, sounds like a deal," Naruto said once they reached terms. "Lead the way then."

* * *

Getting Sayuri to safety had been a struggle, but eventually, Sakura found a safe place. It was a sizeable hollowed-out tree that was adjacent to a small clearing. The tree provided shelter from the elements and hid them from view. With that, and the various traps that she set around the area, Sakura finally felt that she and Sayuri were safe.

Well, as safe as anyone could be in a place like this.

Sakura soaked a cloth in cold water and then placed it on Sayuri's forehead. Ever since that bastard Orochimaru placed that strange mark on her neck, she'd been running a fever. And to make matters worse, none of Sakura's medical ninjutsu was able to do a damn thing. While she had managed to heal the stab wound on Sayuri's thigh, she couldn't make any progress in reducing the fever at all.

"It seems like all I'm good for is healing you after you get hurt," Sakura muttered under her breath as she watched Sayuri suffer in her sleep.

Despite her best efforts, Sakura hadn't been able to help Sayuri during the fight with Orochimaru. Even though deep down, she knew that there wasn't anything that they could have done against such a powerful foe, she still felt guilty. There was a critical part of Sakura's mind, which argued that Naruto would have done a much better job fighting at Sayuri's side. No doubt, that was the truth.

As soon as her thoughts shifted to her other teammate, Sakura's shoulders slumped even further. Given the circumstances, she hadn't even been presented with the opportunity to go and find Naruto yet. While Sakura wanted to agree with what Sayuri said earlier and choose to have faith that he was okay, now she wasn't so sure. Given what Orochimaru showed himself to be capable of, Naruto could be dead for all she knew.

"N-Naruto…"

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise when she heard Sayuri mumbled Naruto's name in her sleep.

"You're worried about him too, huh?" Sakura inquired with a sad smile.

Whether Sayuri would admit it to anyone or not, it was clear that Naruto was an important part of her life. Sakura would compare their relationship to her's and Ino's, but there were too many differences. Naruto and Sayuri played off each other's energy so well — to the point where they didn't even need to communicate with words. They were the perfect pair.

More than anything, Sakura wished that she could achieve that kind of bond with her teammates someday.

After finishing up with everything that needed doing, Sakura was now struggling just to stay awake. It was getting close to evening, and after a full day of fighting and stress, she would love nothing more than to lay back and go to sleep. However, given the fact that Sayuri wasn't in any condition to stand watch, Sakura would need to stay up for the entire night to make sure that nobody attacked them while they were sleeping.

Nevertheless, Sakura's head would occasionally bob up and down as she struggled to stay awake. Eventually, she opted to lean back against the inside of the hollowed-out tree and ty to focus her mind on anything that would keep her awake. After a few moments of consideration, Sakura smiled as she began to ponder what Kakashi-sensei looked like under his mask.

Meanwhile, the lone team from the Hidden Sound village observed Sakura and Sayuri from a distance. Despite having the advantage — in both numbers and physical condition — they didn't act.

"Why can't we just take her out now?" Zaku complained — though he was mindful enough to keep his voice down.

"Lord Orochimaru ordered us to attack at dawn," Dosu countered. "Do you intend to disobey him?"

Even someone as brash as Zaku would never consider getting on Orochimaru's bad side.

"Ugh, that girl's clothes are so gaudy," Kin complained as she watched Sakura attempt to fight off her drowsiness. "And I bet she spends an hour combing her hair every morning."

Predictably, Dosu and Zaku weren't all that concerned with Sakura's looks — especially Dosu, since he was hardly one to judge a person's appearance.

Zaku clicked his teeth in impatience, "If that pink girl gets in the way, we can kill her, right?"

Dosu's eye crinkled in amusement, "Of course," he replied. "Sayuri is our only target, after all."

Back in the tree, Sakura remained utterly oblivious to the impending danger as she continued to try and keep her mind occupied.

* * *

Karin was acting far too evasive for Naruto's liking. When he'd agreed to come with her, it had been because of the promise that she would be able to find his teammates. Yet, as they progressed further and further into the forest, Karin was acting oddly suspicious. At first, Naruto attributed it to the possibility that she was shy — but he quickly reminded himself that this was an exam, and she was competition. And yet, Karin had access to his unconscious body for hours, so if she thought that he had a scroll, she would have searched him and found nothing. So what reason would she have to lie?

"What's taking so long?" Naruto asked. "You said that you could sense their chakra."

"This is a big forest, and you were separated from your team for a while," Karin replied. "Everyone has moved a lot further in now that the first day has ended — your teammates included. Would you prefer that we go full-speed ahead and fall into every trap known to man?"

Naruto frowned, "I would _prefer_ to know where we're going and how much longer it'll take. That's all I'm saying."

"Just a few more minutes. We're headed in their direction, but I've had to adjust course a couple of times because I sensed other people as well."

Pleased to have gotten any information at all, Naruto simply nodded and carried on following Karin's lead. As he continued to observe her, he noticed a bite mark on her left forearm. What made it even more strange was the fact that it was clearly left behind by a person and not an animal. Naruto wanted to ask why she was bitten, but in the end, he decided not to. In all odds, it was probably something that she didn't want to talk about.

As his thoughts drifted back to his teammates, Naruto couldn't help but worry. Whoever had attacked them was powerful enough to take out all four of his shadow clones in a blink of an eye. Moreover, the jutsu they used to send him flying across the forest was also a worrying sign. Neither he nor Sayuri had anything like that in their arsenal. Though, thankfully, despite all of his worries, his teammates were still alive — at least according to Karin.

More so than anything else, Naruto was furious over the fact that he hadn't been able to help his team at all. Whether they were victorious or not, he wasn't there when they needed him the most. He got taken off of the board in the very first move. It wasn't a feeling that he ever intended to experience again.

"We're here."

It was Karin's subdued voice that alerted Naruto to their new location. It was a small clearing that was adjacent to a cave. It seemed like the perfect place to camp out for the night, and yet, Naruto saw no source of light inside the cave. Maybe his teammates decided that making a fire would alert the rest of the competition to their location? It certainly sounded like a precaution that Sakura would take.

And yet, after a few minutes of waiting for his teammates to reveal themselves, Naruto heard and saw nothing — aside from the pitch blackness of the cave's bowels and the rustling of the wind against the trees. He turned to Karin and saw that she was refusing to face him. Immediately sensing that something was wrong, Naruto summoned a chakra kunai and kept it concealed behind his back.

"Where are they?" Naruto demanded, causing Karin to flinch.

"I'm sorry."

Quickly realizing what was going on, Naruto lunged at Karin with a burst of speed and prepared to plunge his kunai into her back. However, before his attack could strike true, he felt his body seize up entirely as if he were turned into a statue. The only part of his body that he was still able to operate were his eyes, which immediately turned toward the cave when he heard the faint sound of footsteps echoing from within.

'I fucked up,' Naruto internally chastised. It was pure arrogance on his part to assume that he could trust Karin. It was all because he thought he was too smart to be tricked.

Eventually, two figures emerged from the cave, each cloaked in black. Their features were almost entirely hidden from view, but it was clear that one was a man, and the other was a woman. The man was fairly tall, while the woman's size was average — though, her chest was anything but, which was how Naruto deduced that she was a woman in the first place.

"You did well," the man spoke with calm authority. "You've earned your place and your freedom today."

It was obvious that he was speaking to Karin, who visibly jumped at being addressed directly. Her reaction confirmed Naruto's suspicions that he was, in fact, screwed. He was the one who was paralyzed against his will, not Karin. Yet she appeared even more anxious than him. He wasn't keen on tangling with someone who managed to elicit such fear from their comrades.

"And you," the man continued as he shifted his attention to Naruto. "I'm pleased to finally lay my eyes on you after waiting for so long, Naruto Uzumaki."

Shit. Whoever these people were, they knew Naruto's identity already. This wasn't just some team trying to scam other competitors in the exam. No. These were adults who had gone out of their way to capture him. There was now no doubt in Naruto's mind that Karin finding him was no coincidence. She had clearly been tasked with bringing him here.

The man then turned to Karin once more, "Leave us. We will retrieve you later."

Naruto's eyes immediately swiveled back to Karin. For the first time since betraying his trust, she looked back at him. He saw a mixture of fear, regret, and sorrow on her face, making it clear that she had taken no pleasure in what she'd done. Nevertheless, given his current circumstances, Naruto wasn't feeling all that forgiving. While unable to form a facial expression, his eyes reflected such venom that Karin visibly flinched before averting her gaze altogether. She then obeyed the mysterious man's instructions and left.

"You shouldn't hold it against her," the man said as Karin vanished into the trees. "She was simply doing what she needed to achieve a better life."

The paralysis that had overtaken Naruto's body then vanished in an instant. He nearly fell forward at the unexpected change but was quickly able to regain his bearings. Now finally able to control his body, Naruto looked over at the cloaked strangers and glared. Whoever they were, it was clear that they weren't friends.

"Who the hell are you?" Naruto demanded.

The man was quiet for a moment before replying, "My name is Genichiro," he revealed before gesturing to his partner. "And this is Rikka."

Genichiro then pulled down his hood, revealing that he was a young man with red eyes and red hair — the latter of which was styled into a shaved top knot. Strangely, he had a red circle with a ring around it seemingly tattooed onto his forehead — almost resembling a third eye. As for his attire, along with his black cloak, he wore a maroon jacket with black buttons and lining, and matching pants with black shin-high shinobi sandals. The woman, Rikka, apparently opted to keep her appearance a secret.

"Now that you know my name and have seen my face, we're no longer strangers," Genichiro continued. "And I've known you for a very, very long time, Naruto."

Without warning, Naruto vanished in a body flicker and at Genichiro's back. At this point, a chakra tanto was already manifested in his right hand. He attempted to attack the much taller man's blindside. However, before his strike could land, Genichiro swiveled around with even more impressive speed and landed a back fist square across Naruto's jaw. The force of the blow sent Naruto reeling and would have likely separated a lesser genin from their consciousness.

Upon recovering from the blow, Naruto lurched back and formed the shadow clone hand seal. A dozen clones then appeared and surrounded Genichiro before proceeding to attack him simultaneously and from multiple angles. However, Genichiro avoided every blow and countered perfectly, until each and every clone was eventually dispelled. Yet, once the smoke from the clones vanished with the breeze, Naruto was revealed to have disappeared.

"He decided to escape. Clever," Genichiro calmly praised before turning to his colleague, Rikka. "Find him."

* * *

Naruto frantically leaped from tree to tree as he made his escape. He was now less concerned with finding his teammates and more focused on actually remaining alive. From the moment he realized that he was led into a trap, his plan immediately became to flee as soon as possible. Fighting someone who could paralyze his body on a mere whim was not a prospect that Naruto was interested in dealing with. He had learned in the Land of Waves that there was no shame in retreating when faced with stronger and more experienced opponents.

"Who said that you were allowed to leave, mongrel?"

Despite his high-speed movement and the pounding of his heart, Naruto heard the strong feminine voice clear as day. He stopped on a dime and looked back to see Rikka casually leaning against a tree. Her hood was now pulled back, revealing that she was a woman of almost unimaginable beauty. She had flawless skin, long, flowing red hair, and purple eyes, which seemed to reflect nothing but contempt.

Not wanting to allow her to make the first move, Naruto clapped his hands together. Rikka merely watched dismissively as hundreds upon hundreds of chakra shuriken manifested in the air surrounding them. Once he was seemingly finished, Naruto then separated his hands and manipulated all of the shuriken at once before sending them flying toward Rikka with astonishing speed. The force that the attack generated when it landed was enough to create a cloud of debris the obscured Naruto's vision.

After a moment, the wind blew away the debris only to reveal that Rikka had vanished. Unable to react in time, Naruto was struck hard in the back of the head and sent falling onto the ground. Before he could try to move or escape, Rikka slammed her foot onto his skull and pushed his head into the dirt.

"Pathetic," Rikka muttered under her breath, looking down on Naruto as if he were a bug.

Rikka then snapped her fingers, and a purple rift appeared directly behind her. Almost immediately, Genichiro walked through the opening as if exiting a tunnel. Naruto watched the display with no shortage of awe. Had this woman just created a portal like it was nothing? Naruto recalled past conversations in which the Pervy Sage told him about space-time ninjutsu. Apparently, it was supposed to be an incredibly rare and complex art. Was that how she managed to move so fast?

Genichiro looked down at Naruto's prone form and frowned, "Is such disrespect really necessary?" he asked before turning to Rikka.

"He's not worthy of respect," Rikka countered before grinding her foot into Naruto's skull even more, as if to prove her point. "You know that."

Hearing the blatant mockery in Rikka's voice sparked a fire within Naruto's stomach. Almost immediately, he felt the Nine Tails' chakra pour into his body and made no attempt to stop it. The chakra was only meant to be used during emergencies. Yet, Naruto felt that pretty much anyone would agree that his current predicament warranted its usage. Now wasn't the time to hold back if he actually wanted to live.

Sensing the foreboding chakra building up beneath her foot, Rikka appeared surprised when she looked down and saw blood-red eyes staring back up at her. She attempted to jump back and create distance, but a clawed hand quickly grabbed her ankle and attempted to snap her leg like a twig. However, before any such damage could be inflicted, Genichiro blurred forward and kicked Naruto in the face with enough force to send him skipping back like a stone.

"See where your reckless showboating gets you?" Genichiro chastised Rikka after coming to her aid.

Annoyed at being lectured like a child, Rikka crossed her arms under her chest and averted her gaze. Meanwhile, Naruto rose back to his feet and hunched over like a cornered animal. He then prepared to lunge forward and rip his two enemies to pieces. However, before he was given a chance, Genichiro formed a hand seal with his right hand. Once more, Naruto was completely paralyzed.

Then, Naruto began to feel his body act on its own, as if he was being manipulated by some kind of invisible force. His arm slowly reached down to the hem of his jacket and pulled it up, revealing the seal that contained the Nine Tails on his abdomen. Genichiro walked over and looked upon the seal with an appraising gaze. Eventually, he reached out and placed the palm of his hand against the seal, causing Naruto's skin to crawl at the almost tender nature of the physical contact.

"An Eight Trigrams Seal," Genichiro remarked, clearly familiar with the fūinjutsu style. He then looked back up to Naruto's face. "Your Fourth Hokage was truly an extraordinary man. It seems that there's no need for me to alter his work, after all. Yet, I see no harm in speeding things up a bit."

Genichiro then raised his right hand, and his fingertips were enveloped in blue chakra the flickered like flames in the wind. Once the preparations were complete, he slammed his fingertips directly into Naruto's abdomen. The seal then began to glow a fiery red, like hot coals in a forge, and Naruto's body was wracked with unbelievable pain.

Once he was finished, Genichiro relinquished control of Naruto's body and watched in silence as he collapsed onto the ground and writhed in agony. The Nine Tails chakra was almost visibly bubbling underneath his skin like molten lava — which was an apt description considering the utter suffering he was experiencing. No human body should be capable of withstanding the amount of concentrated chakra that Naruto was currently being subjected to. He felt like he was going to explode.

* * *

Around the forest, both the exam participants and wildlife alike were alerted to a chakra of almost supernatural magnitude. Those with a weak disposition were nearly brought to their knees under the malice's sheer weight — which would be best described as a primal fear that was prompted the animals to flee to safety.

* * *

Being a sensory type, Ino was able to sense the chakra far more clearly than anyone else. Without warning, she collapsed onto her knees and struggled to breathe as she felt as though some outside force was compressing her lungs. Shikamaru and Chōji were affected as well but were not able to detect the malice as clearly as she was. They both crouched down at her side with looks of concern.

* * *

In contrast, all the way at central tower, Gaara hunched over and gripped his skull tightly with a psychotic grin. While waiting next to him, Temari and Kankurō were unable to decide what they should be more afraid of — the chakra or their brother.

* * *

Similarly, Han set off like a starving dog that smelled fresh meat. He immediately stopped what he was doing and looked in the general direction of where the chakra was coming from. While in far better control of his emotions than Gaara, anyone who looked closely enough would be able to see his tightly clenched fist tremble with excitement.

* * *

Meanwhile, after finally settling into camp and believing that the danger was over, Sakura's heart sank as she detected the malevolent chakra in the distance. Her first instinct was to assume that it was somehow related to Orochimaru. And yet, even she was able to tell that whatever she was sensing was something completely different than what she'd experienced earlier in the day.

'I hope you're okay, Naruto,' Sakura thought as she clenched her eyes tightly in order to suppress tears.

* * *

Naruto was now barely distinguishable with the mass of chakra swelling around him. Despite the intense feeling, neither Genichiro nor Rikka appeared all that affected. No doubt everything was going exactly as they'd intended; otherwise, they wouldn't appear so calm. Slowly but surely, the Nine Tails chakra began to calm down before eventually condensing back into Naruto's body. However, that didn't mean that his pain was over — not by any stretch of the imagination.

"The Fourth Hokage used the Eight Trigrams seal for a reason," Genichiro explained over Naruto's cries of agony. "He designed it to weaken over time, which would allow both yours and the Nine Tail's chakra to become one. I've simply accelerated the process a little. While it may hurt now, you will ultimately thank me later."

Understandably, Naruto was hardly capable of listening in his current condition.

"Once this is over, you will experience an incredible change," Genichiro continued. "You could even say that I've unlocked your potential. But I won't lie and pretend like I've done this for completely selfless reasons."

The pain that Naruto was experiencing hadn't lessened even a bit — if anything, it became more intense with every second. However, there was only so much that his body could take. After a few minutes, he became almost numb to the pain — likely due to a mixture of shock and adrenaline. He found himself laying face-first on the ground, digging his fingers into the soil as his body occasionally spasmed under the torment. Eventually, his screams turned to muffled groans, and then ultimately, silence.

Genichiro appeared almost impressed as he watched Naruto get a handle of the pain, "We have to leave now, but eventually, we'll come back for you," he revealed. "When that time finally comes, I promise that everything will be properly explained. Until then, I advise that you continue to become stronger, Naruto."

Now finished, Genichiro turned to face Rikka and nodded. Upon receiving the silent order, she created another portal and walked through without hesitation, evidently glad to finally be leaving. Genichiro followed soon after, but not before looking over his shoulder one last time. In return, he received a fierce glare from Naruto, who at this point had suffered a subconjunctival hemorrhage, painting the whites of his eyes a bloody-red. While most men would have recoiled at the admittedly intimidating sight, Genichiro actually offered up a satisfied smile.

With that, Genichiro walked into the portal and vanished. Now without the subject of his rage gone, Naruto was unable to fight back the pain any longer and slipped into unconsciousness for the second time since the exam started. The last thing he thought about was his team, hoping that keeping them in his mind would somehow give him the strength that he needed to survive the night.

'Sayuri…Sakura,' Naruto thought before finally fading into sleep.

* * *

**~End~**

* * *

**Hey, guys. Hope you enjoyed the new chapter. As I was writing this chapter, it was getting way too long (probably would have ended up being over 20,000 words) so I decided to cut it in half and upload each part as a separate chapter. With that said, Chapter Ten is almost pretty much done, pending the completion of a few scenes, proofreading, grammar edits, etc. Anyway, expect Chapter Ten to come out a few days after this chapter is posted. To be specific, my goal is to post Chapter Ten sometime next week. Anything could happen between then and now, after all. I'd say a safe bet would be sometime before the end of next week.  
**

**Next chapter will mark the end of the second exam, and the plan is for Chapter Eleven to center entirely around the preliminary matches. I'll gloss over/summarize the fights that are the same, but a couple of match ups are completely different. I think you guys will enjoy the new fights a lot. I know that I'm really excited to write them. In fact, I'm generally really pleased with the direction that this story is taking.**

**As usual, if you have any questions, just leave a review and I'll almost always respond. However, don't expect me to answer anything that will result in the plot being spoiled for you all, lol. I have to keep some things secret, after all. For now, just trust me when I say that all of your questions will be answered at some point in the story in as satisfying a way as possible.  
**

**Thanks again!**


	10. When the Monsters Come Out to Play

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. All characters in this story, excluding those that are created by me, are the intellectual property of Masashi Kishimoto. Please show support by reading or watching the original source material.**

* * *

**~Confronting the Shadow: Chapter Ten~**

* * *

" **When the Monsters Come Out to Play"**

**(The Following Morning)**

"How the hell am I supposed to become a chūnin with you two lug-heads holding me back?" Ino complained as she leaned against a tree stump.

So far into the second exam, Team 10 hadn't made much progress. Unfortunately, they were very much small fish in a big pond. There weren't many teams that they were blatantly stronger than, so they were taking their time and being cautious. This suited Shikamaru and Chōji just fine, with the two regularly petitioning to stop for rest and snack breaks, respectively.

"This isn't a race," Shikamaru drawled with his fingers interlaced behind his head. "The teams that take their time like us are going to be the ones who arrive at the tower unscathed."

Chōji nodded in agreement while continuing to stuff his face with another handful of potato chips.

Ino's brow ticked, "You two are unbelievable," she moaned. "It's not even like we're taking our time to be pragmatic or anything like that! You guys are just lazy as hell!"

It was definitely a struggle for Ino to be the only passionate person on her team. Shikamaru had pretty much zero motivation for anything outside of staring at the clouds and playing shogi. While at the same time, Chōji lacked the self-confidence required to unlock his full potential. Ino frowned as she pondered how Team 7 was doing. It wasn't fair that Sakura was paired with heavy hitters like Sayuri and Naruto. She probably just had to lean back and file her nails while her teammates kicked ass and did all the work. It wouldn't surprise Ino if Team 7 finished the second exam already.

"Shikamaru will come up with something," Chōji assured with a carefree smile. "He always does. So just relax, okay?"

As if to reinforce Ino's confidence in him, Shikamaru snored audibly as he had apparently fallen asleep while she and Chōji were talking. Ino glowered comically at the display, feeling that her current predicament was the perfect analogy for what her team was like on a regular basis. It didn't help that their sensei was a chronic smoker who didn't have the stones to instill any discipline in them. Honestly, it felt like Ino was the only person on her team who actually cared about being a shinobi.

Falling onto her back and sighing in defeat and Ino stared up at the sky. Behind her brash exterior, she was still a bit rattled about what she'd experienced the previous evening. While unsure what the horrible chakra was or where it came from, Ino was at least confident that she had no intention of ever feeling again. It felt almost eldritch — like something sinister and forbidden that shouldn't exist. For someone like Ino, who was uniquely perceptive to chakra, she had felt every emotion that the chakra offered.

Ino had never sensed such evil in her life.

For a moment, Ino considered falling asleep as well — at least, until she detected multiple presences nearby. She quickly reached over to Shikamaru's shoulder and roughly shook him awake, much to his displeasure. However, once he saw the serious look on Ino's face, his expression grew more solemn, and he nodded in understanding. Then, after a silent exchange with Shikamaru, Chōji seemed prepared as well, having placed his bag of chips back in his backpack.

Team 10 moved through the brush of the forest in complete silence. They followed Ino's lead — both because she was the only person on their team who could sense chakra and because she wouldn't have it any other way. Neither Shikamaru nor Chōji had the energy to resist any of her bossy tendencies and were usually just content to do as she said. There was honestly nothing to gain from arguing with Ino Yamanaka.

Eventually, Team 10 arrived at their destination and saw what looked to be the aftermath of a battle — or ass-kicking, more like. A team from the Hidden Waterfall Village appeared to have gotten handled relatively easily by the lone team from the Hidden Stone Village. The largest of his squad, Han, had his foot pressed firmly onto the back of one of his defeated enemies while his teammates searched for the scroll they needed.

From their hidden position, Ino marveled silently at the sheer presence of Han's chakra — which was even more daunting than his massive frame. Ino had never met anyone with such powerful chakra. Not even a jōnin like Asuma-sensei could hold a candle to it. It made her wonder if everyone in the exams were complete monsters except for her team?

After some time, the lone girl on the team, Kurotsuchi, managed to find a scroll tucked deep within one of the Hidden Waterfall genin's backpacks, "An Heaven Scroll. Just what we needed," she remarked with a sly grin. "Looks like we've pretty much cinched our place in the tournament."

Ino became puzzled as she exchanged looks with Shikamaru and Chōji both. What tournament?

The last member of the Hidden Stone team, Akatsuchi, didn't seem to share his teammate's optimism, "We still have to make it to the tower," he remarked while scratching his cheek. "Who knows what could happen on the way there."

"Oh, give me a break, would you?" Kurotsuchi grumbled. "You're a shinobi. Try and have some confidence for once."

Despite being from completely different nations, Ino found herself empathizing with Kurotsuchi on a spiritual level.

Han suddenly raised a hand, which silenced his teammate's almost instantly, "Shut up. Someone's here."

Team 10 immediately felt their hearts sink at the prospect that they had been spotted. However, Shikamaru and Chōji immediately sighed in relief when they noticed that Han was looking in a completely different direction than them. Yet, Ino did not share in their solace as she sensed the new presence approaching the clearing. It was painfully familiar, and her knees began to tremble as she recognized it as the chakra she'd felt the previous night — though now it was at much more controlled levels.

Then, much to Team 10's shock, the mysterious figure was revealed to be Naruto of all people. Yet, even more surprising than his arrival was his completely different presence. While they hadn't known Naruto all that personally back at the Academy, Team 10 was familiar enough with him to where they could notice any visible changes. The person who they were looking at now felt like someone they'd never met before — in both demeanor and physical appearance. One of the first things Team 10 noticed was Naruto's sinister eyes, which were crimson-red and slit like a cat.

"Seems I found who I was looking for," Naruto casually remarked with a smile that, for some reason, made Team 10's skin crawl.

It was apparent that both Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi sensed the primal danger that emanated from Naruto as well. They were both incredibly tense despite the fact that their team outnumbered him three to one. The only person who seemed unfazed was Han, who looked at Naruto with barely concealed exhilaration.

"I thought that I was going to have to find your myself," Han remarked before removing his foot from the back of the Hidden Waterfall shinobi that he had effortlessly defeated. "I'm grateful that you came here on your own."

Naruto grinned, revealing a set of fanged canines. His chakra then riled up considerably, prompting Ino to cup her hand over her mouth to prevent a scream from escaping through her lips. _That_ was Naruto? Ino couldn't believe what she was feeling. It was impossible for Naruto to have such malevolent chakra. The very sensation of it against her skin nearly prompted her to vomit her guts out.

"Han," Kurotsuchi intervened. She tried her best to sound confident despite being in the presence of two monsters about to come to blows. "We already have the scrolls that we need. We should head straight for the tower."

Kurotsuchi then flinched when Naruto's fiendish stare was fixed solely on her for the very first time.

"I couldn't care less about you two — or the scrolls for that matter," Naruto remarked with a predatory smile before pointing a clawed finger at Han. "I'm just here for him. You two can scurry off if you'd like."

Ino looked to her side and saw that Chōji was now refusing to even watch, gripping his head in his hands as he trembled in terror. In contrast, Shikamaru was frozen in place like a deer caught in a spotlight, unable to look away for even a moment. Seeing her teammate's reactions confirmed to Ino that what she was seeing was actually real. If those two blockheads could discern the stark change in Naruto's chakra, then it had to be true.

Han didn't even glance is Kurotsuchi or Akatsuchi's direction, "Sounds fine to me," he replied, agreeing with Naruto's proposal. Han then released more of his chakra, causing the ground to nearly quake under his feet.

Frankly, Team 10 was considering taking up the offer as well. There was no reason for them to stay behind and keep watching. They would have to be delusional to think that they could somehow walk out of this situation with a scroll if they got involved. Their whole plan had been to avoid the strongest teams in the exam and pick off some weaklings — which, quite obviously, was the exact opposite of what they were doing right now.

"Han, stop!" Kurotsuchi yelled. "You're supposed to fight him in the tournament, not now!"

"I don't care. Why should I wait?"

Kurotsuchi gritted her teeth in frustration, "The old man said that I was supposed to keep you under control!" she threatened — albeit feebly — before forming a single hand seal with her right hand. "I have the key to your seal, you know. He showed me how to use it before I left."

Team 10 had no clue what "seal" Kurotsuchi was referring to, but it clear that Han did, based on his strained reaction. When he failed to immediately comply, his body was then racked with visible pain — almost like a shock collar forcing an animal into submission. Naruto merely stood to the side and watched the development in apparent amusement.

"You bitch," Han growled through gritted teeth as he glared at Kurotsuchi with pure hatred. "I'll kill you."

Despite being the one in control, Kurotsuchi's hand trembled as she maintained the seal, "You didn't give me a choice!" she said, clearly worried about the possible consequences that may come later.

Han seethed in frustration and looked as though he was about to pounce at any moment. However, once more, he was stopped by another wave of pain — this time so intense that it actually looked as though it may force him to his knees. Eventually, Han couldn't take the pain any longer and obeyed, reducing his chakra back to normal levels. Whatever Kurotsuchi had done, it worked.

Meanwhile, Naruto looked almost disappointed. It was evident that he had come to Han looking for a fight, "C'mon, don't tell me that you're actually going to leave?" he whined. His almost childish reaction hardly matched the sinister chakra that he was emitting. "And after all that tough talk?"

It couldn't be any clearer that Han would have liked nothing more than to tear Naruto's head off then and there. However, with the threat of Kurotsuchi activating his seal once more, he remained silent. Without another word, the Hidden Stone team each vanished in their own respective body flickers, leaving Naruto alone in the clearing. His shoulders sagged like a child who'd just been denied his favorite toy. With a disheartened sigh, Naruto swiveled his head around the clearing like an animal searching for prey.

Then, the entire world seemed to freeze for Team 10 as Naruto looked right where they were hiding.

"I know you're over there, ya know?" Naruto called out with a playful grin — akin to a cat taunting a mouse. "Come on out."

While their instincts screamed at them to run, Team 10 couldn't bring themselves to move at all. This _person_ calling out to them wasn't Naruto — it couldn't be! For all of his flaws, Naruto always seemed like he was a pretty good guy — even if he was a bit strange. However, right now, he had the look of a deranged psychopath. And yet, that observation didn't even include his bone-chilling chakra, which was what kept Team 10 rooted in place despite their desire to flee.

Naruto was currently acting like a demon who was failing miserably to disguise himself as a human. Had he always been like this and just kept it under wraps? Or had something happened to him in the forest?

"Are you really going to make me walk all the way over there?" Naruto groaned before ultimately shrugging his shoulders. "Alright, then."

With each step that Naruto took in their direction, Team 10 felt their hearts pound faster and faster. Ino and Shikamaru were frozen with fear, while Chōji was continuing to close his eyes and cover his head — as if pretending that nothing was happening would somehow make the problem go away. Eventually, Naruto reached their position and peeked over the bushes.

And then, in an instant, the feeling of impending doom vanished.

"Oh, it's you guys," Naruto casually greeted. By this point, his malevolent chakra and demonic features had vanished entirely, making it seem like they had never even been there in the first place. "What're you doing here?"

Watching Naruto return to his usual self so quickly was incredibly jarring. Even the talkative Ino was at a loss for words. While Team 10 remained tight-lipped, Naruto continued to look at them expectantly, as if he hadn't just been acting like a complete monster mere minutes ago.

"W-We heard a commotion and wanted to see what was happening," Ino explained as her trembling body made it difficult for her to speak — along with her teeth that chattered like she was in the cold. "We only got here just now, though, so we don't exactly know what happened."

Both Shikamaru and Chōji nodded in agreement, praying dearly that they weren't at risk for having seen too much. Thankfully, Naruto appeared satisfied with Ino's admittedly weak explanation and nodded slowly — though, it was evident that he was acutely aware of their strange behavior. Realizing that continuing to act afraid ran the risk of attracting more of Naruto's suspicion, Shikamaru subtly nudged Ino and Chōji in the ribs, prompting them to stand up.

"That guy was kinda scary, huh?" Naruto inquired with a playful smile — clearly referring to Han. "You guys are lucky that he didn't spot you."

Team 10 immediately nodded in agreement. They hoped that by playing along, they could convince Naruto that it was Han that they were afraid of, and not him. Frankly, it would be best for everyone involved if they all pretended like none of this even happened. In fact, Shikamaru internally deduced that Naruto mentioned Han on purpose as if he was trying to influence Team 10's recollection of what they'd witnessed.

Naruto's head then perked up in an apparent realization, "Hey, what scroll do you guys have?"

Deep down, Team 10 prayed that they didn't have the scroll that Naruto needed. Under normal circumstances, Ino would have never considered giving their scroll to anyone. However, given what she just witnessed, if Naruto were to demand that they hand over their scroll, she wasn't sure that she would have the stomach to deny him.

"A Heaven Scroll," Ino replied with tense shoulders.

"Oh, cool. You have the same one as us," Naruto responded, and Team 10 immediately sighed in relief.

After learning what scroll Team 10 possessed, Naruto reached into his weapon pouch and rummaged around. Then, much to their surprise, he pulled out two Earth Scrolls. Without hesitation, he held out one of the scrolls and smiled pleasantly.

"I found these while I was out on my own. Do you want one?" Naruto offered. "I only need one of them, ya know?"

Team 10 was almost too astounded to reply, so in the end, they could only nod dumbly. Shikamaru reached out to grab the scroll but was initially met with subtle resistance. He then looked directly into Naruto's eyes and was met with an icy stare that said more than any amount words could. It immediately became clear to Shikamaru that Naruto wasn't giving them an Earth Scroll out of the kindness of his heart. Rather, he was doing so in an attempt to buy their silence.

After weighing the possible consequences in his head, Shikamaru was soon reminded that Naruto was still waiting for a response. Before he was willing to hand over the Earth Scroll, he needed some kind of assurance that Team 10 would keep their mouths shut about what they saw. It was honestly a pretty fantastic deal. Team 10 was being allowed to leave unharmed, AND they were getting the scroll that they needed. Realizing that the choice was obvious, Shikamaru subtly nodded his head in acceptance of the terms. Looking decidedly pleased with himself, Naruto finally relinquished the scroll.

Once the exchange was completed, Ino suggested that it was about time that they went on their way. Naruto wished them luck, and Team 10 was quick to reciprocate the gesture. They then turned around and walked away as fast as they could without looking suspicious. At this point, they wouldn't be satisfied until they were entirely out of Naruto's sight.

Just before they walked out of view, Shikamaru looked over his shoulder to see that Naruto was carefully observing Team 10's departure. It was in that moment he pondered just how close he and his team had been to death.

* * *

Sakura abruptly woke up when she sensed a presence in the clearing. She peeked outside of the hollowed-out tree and nearly fell over when she saw that the "intruder" was just a squirrel. Sakura was immediately prepared to brush the small animal away, but then her keen eyes picked up on something threatening. Thinking quickly, she threw her kunai in front of the squirrel before it could get too close. Predictably, it was startled and immediately fled into the woods.

With a frown, Sakura pondered if her eyes had been playing tricks on her, 'Was that a paper bomb on the squirrel's back?' she wondered.

Ultimately, assuming the worst was the best course of action in the Forest of Death, Sakura steeled her nerves and prepared for some kind of attack. Some time passed before her suspicions were proven correct. Realizing that their ploy with the squirrel had failed, an enemy team emerged from the undergrowth. Sakura's heart sank when she recognized the unexpected guests as the Hidden Sound Team that Orochimaru spoke about the previous day. No doubt, they were operating under his orders.

'They managed to get by all of my traps,' Sakura internally lamented, noticing that none of the Sound trio had even so much as a scratch on their bodies.

"My apologies. Did we wake you?" the mummy-looking boy at the front of the group spoke. His head then tilted like a curious animal. "If you wouldn't mind, we'd actually like to fight Sayuri. Could you rouse her up as well?"

Looking back over her shoulder, Sakura noticed that Sayuri wasn't faring much better — even after a full night's sleep. She was hardly in any condition to be fighting anyone at the moment.

"She can't right now," Sakura responded — doing her best to appear confident. "Your boss Orochimaru made sure of that."

The Sound trio appeared shocked at the mention of Orochimaru's name.

'What on Earth could he be thinking, revealing himself so soon?' the leader of the Sound trio, Dosu, thought to himself. Their orders were to assassinate Sayuri, but there was no mention of Orochimaru getting involved first.

Zaku looked over at Dosu with a grim expression, "She knows about him," he blankly stated.

"She does," Dosu replied, knowing precisely what Zaku was thinking. They only planned on killing Sayuri's teammates if they tried to get in the way — but at this point, Sakura knew too much and needed to be silenced forever.

Sensing the impending danger, Sakura stepped out of the hollowed-out tree and threw a handful of shuriken at the Sound trio. However, Zaku countered the attack effortlessly by raising his hands and deflecting them with some kind of invisible force. Surprised by the unexpected counter, Sakura was barely able to react in time when she noticed Kin charging toward her with a kunai in hand.

Before the attack could land, Sakura rapidly weaved through six hand seals.

Without any resistance, Kin managed to plunge her kunai directly into Sakura's chest. While pleased to have landed the final blow, she was admittedly disappointed that the girl hadn't put up much of a fight. However, were Kin more observant, she would have noticed that her attack didn't draw any blood at all. Then, out of nowhere, Sakura's body exploded into hundreds of pink sakura petals.

'Genjutsu. And she caught all of us in it,' Dosu thought in surprise as he observed the clash. 'It would appear that this flower has thorns.'

Sakura then rose out of the ground like a phantom directly behind Kin and placed a kunai against her neck. Then, before Dosu and Zaku were given much time to think, she spun around and began using Kin as a human shield. Deep down, Dosu couldn't help but chastise himself for having underestimated Sakura's abilities. Clearly, she wasn't as powerless as they'd been informed. Meanwhile, Kin's face grew red in a mixture of embarrassment and rage.

"I don't want to hurt anyone — but I will if you take one step closer!" Sakura warned. Once she was sure that she had everyone's undivided attention, she continued. "Tell me everything that you know about Orochimaru — and what is the mark that he placed on Sayuri's neck?"

For a moment, Dosu and Zaku remained silent. However, much to Sakura's shock, they then began to smirk. Zaku then raised up his right hand and unleashed a sonic blast straight toward Sakura and Kin — clearly intent on killing them both. Time seemed to move slowly as it appeared as though their demise was inevitable.

Sakura was then swept off her feet at the final moment. While Kin was saved as well, her rescue was far less gentle, as she was knocked roughly onto the ground directly at Dosu and Zaku's feet. Looking up at her mysterious savior, Sakura was surprised to see that it was the strange boy who asked out Sayuri before the first exam — Rock Lee.

"Do not worry, Sakura. I am here to help," Lee assured with a smile before placing her back onto her feet. She soon recognized the squirrel from earlier perched on his shoulder.

Lee then looked back and frowned when he saw Sayuri's unconscious body. Meanwhile, Dosu and Zaku observed the new arrival with irritation. This entire process was taking too long. If not for all of these losers getting in the way, they would have already killed Sayuri by now. These Hidden Leaf pests were proving more troublesome than they could have anticipated.

* * *

_Sayuri stood alone in an empty void. Then, out of nowhere, a small child manifested in front of her._

_"Mom and dad didn't have to die," the child cried, wiping tears onto her sleeve._

_It didn't take Sayuri very long to realize that she was looking at her older self._

_"If you had been strong, you could have saved them," Sayuri's older-self continued. "Because you were weak, the entire clan was wiped out."_

_Sayuri was then bombarded by images of her dead clan. Many were people who she wasn't all familiar with, while some were close relatives that she used to interact with regularly — like her aunt and uncle. Lastly, she saw her parents, slumped over each other with blood pooling out of their mouths._

_Suddenly, Sayuri's older self began to peel away the skin around her left eye, revealing pale skin and a golden serpentine eye underneath. No matter how much she willed it, she couldn't look away._

_"You let them die," her older self taunted, her voice taking on a cruel tone. "All you did was watch."_

_Sayuri felt herself being pulled into the evil eye. It was then that her older self's voice was replaced entirely by Orochimaru's_

_"If only you had been strong."_

_Back in the actual world, Sayuri's body began to emanate a sickly purple chakra._

* * *

When Sayuri finally woke up, she had undergone a tremendous change. The power that she felt coursing through her body was unimaginable — beyond anything she could even imagine herself possessing. The curse mark had now extended to cover much of her skin, bringing with it a sinister chakra that reeked of death and decay.

Looking over into the clearing, Sayuri saw many people standing around in what looked like a small battlefield. Nevertheless, the only person who attracted her full attention was Sakura — who looked as though she'd been beaten to within an inch of her life. Upon seeing the state of her teammate, Sayuri felt herself become overtaken with an uncontrollable rage. Even while knowing nothing about what was going on, she was sure of one thing.

Whoever hurt Sakura was going to die — painfully.

"Why don't you back up that tough talk?" Sayuri heard the leader of the Hidden Sound team, Dosu, taunt. From what she could see, he was speaking to Neji Hyūga, who was perched up in a tree with his teammate, Tenten, at his side.

Neji was the first to notice that Sayuri had awoken.

"No. Evidently, there's no need for that," Neji remarked as he watched Sayuri enter the fray.

Confused as to what Neji was referring to, Sakura looked back to the hollowed-out tree and was elated to see that Sayuri had woken up. However, her relief was short-lived, as she immediately recognized that her teammate looked and felt different. Concurrently, when Team 10 laid eyes on Sayuri, they felt overtaken by a sense of déjà vu. Hadn't they encountered enough monstrous chakra for one day?

"Sakura," Sayuri spoke. Even her voice sounded more menacing. "Who did this to you?"

Apparently, the only person in the clearing without the desire for self-preservation, Zaku was quick to reply, "That would be me," he sneered.

Sayuri fixed her ominous Sharingan eyes directly on Zaku. More cautious than his teammate, Dosu laid eyes on Sayuri and immediately determined that they were out of their depths. Somehow, she'd survived being branded with the curse mark, and it had taken over most of her body. For a split second, Dosu saw a silhouette of Orochimaru looming behind Sayuri and knew that there was no longer any hope of victory.

Zaku seemed to notice Dosu's apprehension, "What? You scared of this half-dead little girl?" he inquired before raising up his hands and pointing them at Sayuri and Sakura. "Don't worry. I'll blow them away."

Dosu attempted to warn Zaku against attacking but was too late. His teammate unleashed a Supersonic Slicing Wave that nearly uprooted the entire clearing. Once the attack was finished, both Sayuri and Sakura were nowhere to be seen. Assuming that he had utterly obliterated them, Zaku smirked in delight. Killing them had been even easier than he expected.

"Blow who away?"

Zaku's eyes widened in shock when he heard Sayuri's voice behind him. He was then struck in the face by a back fist that sent him sailing multiple feet before ultimately landing back on the ground. Then, as soon as he rose back up to his feet, Sayuri performed the Phoenix Flower jutsu, spitting multiple miniature fireballs Zaku's way.

Eyeing the jutsu with contempt, Zaku raised his arms and unleashed a sonic airwave that immediately extinguished the flame. However, much to his shock, it was then revealed that there had been shuriken hidden within the flames. He was forced to raise his guard as he was hit head-on by the spinning projectiles.

While Zaku was distracted by the frontal attack, Sayuri vanished quickly and appeared at his back. She then planted her foot between his shoulder blades and pulled his arms as hard as she could, forcing him to bend over.

"You seem to be very proud of these arms of yours," Sayuri remarked with a cruel smile. "You must be very _attached_ to them."

"W-What are you doing?" Zaku asked through gritted teeth.

Much to everyone's horror, Sayuri then tugged Zaku's arms back as roughly as she could, pulling his shoulders out of their sockets with a sickening pop. Sakura flinched away from the brutal display, in a mixture of both disgust and fear. Could this person actually be Sayuri?

After watching Zaku slump onto the ground in a defeated slump and a cry of agony, Sayuri finally shifted her focus to Dosu, "You're the last one, right?" she asked — clearly eager to test her new powers against someone else.

However, Sayuri was soon distracted by something in the corner of her eye. Upon looking over at the edge of the clearing, she saw an orange and blue figure walking toward them in the distance.

'Naruto,' Sayuri thought, immediately recognizing her teammate.

As soon as Sayuri caught sight of Naruto, she felt the anger evaporate from her body — followed shortly by the curse mark receding, much to everyone's relief. With the incredible power having faded away, she could no longer stand on her own two feet and quickly collapsed onto her butt. Realizing that he had a moment of advantage, Dosu swiftly gathered his teammate's unconscious bodies and vanished into the forest. Luckily for him, everyone else was too preoccupied to give chase.

"Sayuri!" Sakura shouted in joy. She could immediately feel that her teammate was back to normal.

Sayuri acknowledged Sakura's presence with a weary nod. She then recalled why she had returned to her usual self and shifted her attention back to the edge of the clearing. Sakura followed her gaze, and her eyes widened in surprise when she finally noticed Naruto as well. Another wave of happiness shot through her as she saw that her teammate was alive and well after so much time apart.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked with narrowed eyes once he finally entered the clearing. "Why are there so many people here?"

At this point, Sakura couldn't even begin to decide where to start. After all, Naruto had been separated from them right after the test began, and since then, so much had happened! — much of which she would have preferred to forget.

It was Neji who ultimately responded, being the only person in the clearing who wasn't injured or on edge, "Your teammates were nearly killed," he explained before gesturing over to Lee's unconscious body. "And one of ours was injured trying to save them."

In the meantime, Sakura carefully observed Naruto. He looked fine, with no visible injuries whatsoever. Making a mental note to ask him what happened to him while he was away, Sakura remembered everyone who came to her aid during her time of need. She quickly called out for Team 10 to come over while Neji and Tenten checked on Lee.

Oddly enough, Team 10 appeared hesitant to approach Team 7. Initially, Sakura thought they were afraid of Sayuri after seeing her taken over by the curse mark. However, she soon realized that the focus of their anxiety seemed to be Naruto of all people. Had something happened between Team 10 and Naruto in the forest?

"Are you going to ignore her?" Naruto called out with a scowl, causing Team 10 to practically jump out of their skins. "Get over here."

"Naruto, please be nice," Sakura quickly interjected as she noticed the harshness of his tone. "They helped me."

With a furrow of the brow, Naruto seemed to ponder Sakura's words before ultimately crossing his arms and averting his gaze. With the tension now faded a bit, Team 10 finally made their way over — while also making a conscious effort to stay as far away from Naruto as possible. Ino then proceeded to tend to Sakura's injuries — much like a mother fretting over her child after a playground accident.

As Sakura thanked Ino and her team for everything that they did, Naruto and Shikamaru exchanged a look — causing the latter to visibly flinch before looking away. After witnessing the strange interaction, Sayuri looked up at Naruto with tired eyes. He had a completely different presence now — one that stirred feelings of unease inside of her. Sayuri couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she would definitely seek some answers once she fully recovered.

"Take your teammate's advice," Neji suggested as he walked over to Team 7 and Team 10. "You should be grateful. In fact, since our teammate was injured protecting yours, I'd say that you owe us something in return."

Sakura immediately tensed as she felt another conflict brewing.

Neji observed their reactions before continuing, "What scroll do you have?" he asked, making his desire known.

"What?" Sakura asked with widened eyes. After all she and her team had been through trying to defend the scroll, and Neji wanted them to give it away?

Before Sakura could reply, Naruto walked into her view. His hands were stuffed into his pockets, but his posture was far less relaxed than it usually was. Almost immediately, Sakura realized that Naruto was itching for a fight.

"You know, I was hoping you'd say something like that," Naruto replied with a grin. "I've wanted to pay you back for a while now."

Neji observed Naruto with a frown, noting that he felt completely different than he had a day ago. Upon activating his Byakugan, he was shocked by what he saw. Naruto's chakra was — for lack of a better word — enormous. However, even more notably, there was a darker chakra that was mixed in with his own. For an instant, Neji thought he saw the head of a demonic fox manifest from the chakra before he deactivated his Byakugan on instinct.

Naruto watched Neji's reaction and smirked, "Don't back down now. You'd be the second guy to disappoint me today if you did."

Quickly regaining his composure, Neji entered a combat stance. He was followed soon after by Naruto, who manifested a red chakra chain from his lower back that hovered threateningly over his shoulder like a snake. The tension in the clearing could be cut with a knife. Team 10 slowly inched away in preparation to flee, Tenten watched with frightened eyes, and Sakura felt her heart sink at the apparent never-ending violence of the past few days.

On the other hand, Sayuri watched the brewing conflict in reserved silence — not sure how she felt about it. She was entirely in support of refusing to give Neji the scroll; she wasn't liking how Naruto was acting either. The person she was seeing now wasn't the boy who became her first and only friend. Seeing him also reminded her of how she hadn't been herself when the curse mark took over. Sayuri then tried to get back up to her feet but was too weak to even manage something as simple as that.

Thankfully, Sakura intervened in Sayuri's stead.

"Naruto, stop!"

Upon hearing Sakura's desperate cry, Naruto looked over his shoulder and was shocked to see tears dripping down her face. His eyes then widened when he noticed everyone in the clearing looking at him with fear. They were eyeing him warily as if he was some kind of monster.

"We've already been through so much. I just want the fighting to stop," Sakura pleaded. "So please…"

Naruto looked closely at Sayuri for the first time since entering the clearing and noticed just how unwell she looked. Her skin was pale and drenched with sweat, and she appeared almost fragile — not at all like the strong kunoichi that he had come to know. Why was he only noticing her condition now? Here he was, reunited with his teammates after nearly a day of not knowing whether they were even alive, and his first instinct was to brush them off in favor of picking a fight with some douchebag? Since when was he so callous and selfish?

Naruto looked down at his hands and noticed that they were trembling. It was only now that he realized just how strangely he'd been acting after his encounter with Genichiro in the forest. What was happening to him?

"I—" Naruto began but lost his words. He looked back at Sayuri and Sakura before quickly averting his eyes out of guilt. "I'm sorry."

Tenten was quick to interject on Neji's behalf, "We're sorry too," she said, earning a scowl from Neji in return. "Lee chose to come here and help. I'm sure that if he was awake right now, he wouldn't want anything in return. We're all comrades, after all."

Initially, everyone remained silent — still unsure about whether things were about to pop off or not. It wasn't until Naruto dispelled his chakra chain and Neji exited his fighting stance that they were able to breathe sighs of relief. Ino then proceeded to continue tending to Sakura's wounds, sending wary glances Naruto's way as she did.

Naruto was perceptive enough to pick up on Team 10's fear and decided that it would be best if he gave everyone some space. He attempted to walk away and find some tree to perch up in but was stopped when a hand weakly grabbed his wrist. Looking down at the culprit, Naruto was surprised to see Sayuri looking up at him with a stern gaze.

"Stay," Sayuri commanded in a hoarse voice, almost as if she were concerned that Naruto could disappear again at any moment.

Taking a brief glance over at Sakura and Team 10 before then turning back to Sayuri, Naruto nodded slowly, "Yeah. Okay, sure."

Realizing that Sayuri wasn't in much of a condition to get up and walk around, Naruto opted to plop down at her side. There was an awkward silence between the two as they watched Sakura interact with Team 10 as if they were old friends.

"Are you okay?" Sayuri asked lowly so that no one else would hear.

Naruto inspected Sayuri from the corner of his eye, "Yeah, I'm fine," he lied. "How about you? You don't look too hot right now."

Sayuri scowled in frustration. She hated appearing vulnerable, but it somehow felt worse when Naruto was there to see it, "Just tired," she said, downplaying her condition. "I'll feel better soon."

Choosing to take Sayuri at her word, Naruto simply nodded in response before silence reigned once more. Suddenly, he remembered something and looked down at Sayuri's wrist — which was still covered by one of her wrist warmers.

"Do you still have the scroll?" Naruto asked, only now remembering the whole reason that they were in the forest in the first place.

With a nod, Sayuri removed her wrist warmer and revealed that the seal on her wrist still contained the Heaven Scroll.

For the first time since they'd been reunited, Naruto grinned in a way that Sayuri immediately found familiar. He then dug through his weapon pouch before pulling out an Earth Scroll — much to her surprise. If that scroll was actually the real deal, it meant that all they needed to do was make it to the tower, and they would pass the second exam.

"When the hell did you get that?" Sayuri asked.

Naruto shrugged, "I found it while I was looking for you guys," he explained. "Pretty lucky, huh?"

"I'd hardly say that luck has been on our side," Sayuri replied with a slight smirk.

"Yeah, no kidding," Naruto snickered in agreement.

Maybe things would go back to normal after all?

* * *

**(The Following Day)**

After parting ways with their comrades, Team 7 finally continued their journey through the forest. Despite having been beaten up badly the previous day, Sakura walked with an extra pep in her step. She felt infinitely more confident with Naruto and Sayuri at her side — even with the numerous questions she had bouncing around her head. Rather than fixating on the growing darkness that she sensed in her teammates, Sakura chose to focus on the joy she felt at having them back.

"I hate my life."

Sakura had to suppress a giggle when she heard Sayuri complain for what felt like the hundredth time in the past fifteen minutes. Upon looking over her shoulder, she was immediately reminded why. The incredibly proud and dignified Sayuri Uchiha was being carried piggyback as if she were an injured child. To make matters worse, it was Naruto of all people that was holding her.

Naruto's brow furrowed in annoyance, "How do you think I feel? I'm the one who has to lug you around like a mule," he responded. "And you smell like a bag of sweaty laundry, ya know?"

"You do too, idiot. We've been in a disgusting forest for over two days now," Sayuri countered. Her cheeks were flushed red for several reasons — mainly embarrassment at being carried and discomfort at having her body pressed up against Naruto's back for so long. It was one thing to make physical contact with him during sparring but being this close to him was totally different!

Seeing her teammates bicker brought a smile to Sakura's face. She knew that they had only been in the forest for about two days but watching Naruto and Sayuri interact together hit her with a wave of nostalgia. It almost felt as if Team 7 had been reunited after years apart. And seeing everyone acting the way that they used to made Sakura feel as though nothing had changed — even when deep down she knew that wasn't the case at all.

"Maybe we should find a river and wash up a bit?" Sakura suggested. "It might not be as good as a shower or bath, but at least we could rinse off some of this sweat and dirt."

Sayuri and Naruto both exchanged a look before shrugging in agreement. Getting cleaned up _did_ sound nice.

* * *

Soon after determining their objective, Team 7 found the main river that ran through the center of the forest. Naruto dropped Sayuri on her butt like a sack of potatoes and immediately began removing his clothes — much to the latter's chagrin. Sakura blushed at her teammate's boldness and covered her eyes. However, after peaking through her fingers, she was relieved to see that he had enough tact to keep his boxers on — which she supposed, in this case, weren't all that different than swim trunks.

Without hesitation, Naruto walked to the edge of the river and dove headfirst into the water. He remained underneath the surface for almost thirty seconds before eventually rising back up with a splash. He then proceeded to shake the water out of his hair like a wet dog. Sayuri scowled at Naruto's careless behavior but secretly envied him as she noted just how pleasant the water looked.

"Naruto, you have to be gentle with Sayuri!" Sakura chastised — unintentionally making Sayuri frown in annoyance. She wasn't some broken teacup that had just been glued back together.

For a while, the two girls watched as Naruto proceeded to wash his body. Sakura was hesitant to take off her clothes and get in the water, while Sayuri was too sore to do it on her own and too proud to ask for help. After a few minutes, Naruto finally finished and walked out of the water, stretching his tired limbs. Sayuri felt a bead of sweat trickle down the side of her head as she noticed Sakura's cheeks grow beet-red at the display. It was evident that she didn't have much experience being around boys with so little clothes on.

"Hurry up and get lost so we can clean up too," Sayuri ordered after growing sick of waiting.

Naruto looked at Sayuri and Sakura with a raised brow, "Shouldn't we stick together? I think this place has proven itself to be super dangerous by now."

Sayuri's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Why?" she asked. "So you can sneak peeks on us while we bathe?"

"Pfft, as if. Your chests are as flat as mine."

If not for her physical condition, Sayuri would have burned Naruto to a crisp — with an equally offended Sakura cheering in the background, no doubt.

"Fine, fine," Naruto relented when he noticed the death glares that he was receiving. Maybe he'd been a little too blunt. "I'll go get us something to eat."

Naruto proceeded to walk further down the river, likely to catch some fish. Once he was finally out of sight, Sayuri and Sakura finally felt comfortable to undress. It couldn't have come at a better time either, as the early afternoon sun bore down on them intensely. It wasn't long until they finally stepped into the water, which was thankfully incredibly lukewarm and relaxing. This had definitely been an incredible idea.

As the two girls soaked in the water, Sayuri noticed Sakura taking stealthy glances at the curse mark. It immediately reminded her of her fight with Orochimaru and the pain that she had endured after being branded with his mark. Yet, what stuck with Sayuri the most was how good she felt when the power of the curse mark coursed through her body. It made her feel like she could take on the entire world. Yet, it also felt forbidden and vile — hence her guilt and shame.

"You can stop looking at it, you know?" Sayuri finally deadpanned when she realized that Sakura wasn't going to stop eyeing-up the curse mark unless she spoke up. "It's not like it'll make it go away or anything."

Sakura flinched at being caught red-handed, "S-Sorry."

Sayuri sighed at Sakura's reaction. It wasn't her intention to be rude to someone who did some much to help her, "Look, if anything else happens, I'll tell you first," Sayuri said. "Okay?"

Despite Sayuri's words of assurance, Sakura didn't appear all that convinced. Nevertheless, she didn't pry any further, and the two continued to relax in silence. Though, after a while, it was clear that Sakura still had something to get off her chest.

"Ino said something to me before we all parted ways," Sakura spoke up, earning a look from Sayuri. "She said that we needed to be careful around Naruto — that there was something wrong with him."

Frankly, Sayuri wasn't all that concerned with Ino's opinion. She'd always come off as a pretty superficial and nosy person. Nevertheless, deep down, Sayuri couldn't deny the change she'd noticed in Naruto after they were reunited. Yet, she felt that it would be hypocritical of her to bring it to light considering her incident with the curse mark. She was hardly the person to judge in a situation like this.

"Will you talk to him, please?"

Sayuri blinked, "Me?" she asked with a frown. "Why?"

With a roll of the eyes, Sakura responded, "You know why," she said. "You're probably the only person in the world that he'd talk to about something like this."

Perhaps it may have seemed that way, but Sayuri had a feeling that Naruto was the kind of person that rarely revealed anything to anyone. In her opinion, the only reason he was comfortable enough to speak with Haku was because he was conversing with a stranger that he assumed he would never meet again. Even after Sayuri revealed the truth about her clan being destroyed, Naruto still didn't say anything about his own desire for revenge — which she was only privy to because she overheard his confession during a private conversation.

"I'll try," was all Sayuri was willing to offer. She wouldn't make any promises.

It was at that moment where Sayuri realized just how much she'd changed over the past six months. Before becoming a member of Team 7, she wouldn't have even wasted her time entertaining other people's problems. Now she was essentially volunteering to be a counselor to Naruto of all people — a person who she initially hated.

Time sure had a way of changing people.

"Thank you," Sakura said with a warm smile. "I don't know what I'd be doing now without you guys."

Sayuri shook her head, "You're stronger than you think," she countered. "You just don't give yourself enough credit."

"Maybe," Sakura conceded before moving a strand of hair behind her ear. "But I'm not like you two."

More than most, Sayuri knew the pain of being compared to other people. She spent her entire childhood being Itachi Uchiha's sister, after all. No matter how much progress she made or how strong she became, Sayuri always felt inferior to her brother — even to this day. It served as her motivation, but it also didn't lead to her being a very happy person.

"Don't compare yourself to other people," Sayuri advised, earning a surprised look from Sakura. "You only need to be better than you were yesterday."

There was an odd sense of satisfaction that fluttered in Sayuri's chest when she saw Sakura's spirits visibly improve. Whether she actually believed her own words was irrelevant. Sayuri was smart enough to acknowledge her faults, but that didn't mean that she had to stand by and watch Sakura fall into the same mistakes that she had.

Because for some reason, Sayuri couldn't bear the idea of Sakura becoming anything like her.

* * *

Naruto returned shortly after Sayuri and Sakura finished up in the river. He was carrying a fishing rod made from his chakra over his right shoulder, and a chakra net containing three fish. Shortly after, they made a fire — which Sayuri lit using a fire jutsu — and began eating to their hearts content. Before now, they'd snacked on the occasional berries or nuts that they gathered in the forest, but with was the first real meal that they'd eaten in days.

"Hey, that smells pretty good."

Predictably, Team 7 grew defensive the moment they heard the intrusive voice. Identifying the intruder to be located behind the bushes, Sayuri activated her Sharingan and armed herself with a kunai — while Naruto and Sakura made similar battle preparations. However, it was then revealed that unexpected guest was a fellow Hidden Leaf shinobi — Kabuto Yakushi. Sayuri immediately recognized him as the senior participant who gave them advice during the first exam.

Kabuto casually smiled at Team 7's aggression as he walked out of forest, "I assure you, I come in peace," he said with raised arms.

"What do you want?" Sayuri asked, not at all convinced by Kabuto's words.

Even though Kabuto presented himself as a helpful guy, Sayuri didn't fully trust him. In fact, it was his generosity that she was most suspicious about. What benefit did Kabuto have from assisting the competition? As far as Sayuri could tell, the answer was none. Therefore, she was left to wonder why he did it in the first place. The fact that his motivations remained unknown was what bothered Sayuri the most.

"I'm not here for your scroll, if that's what you're worried about," Kabuto explained before reaching into his pouch and pulling out a Heaven and Earth Scroll. "Like you guys, I already have both scrolls."

As soon as Kabuto revealed that he had both scrolls, Sakura seemed to be put at ease. However, Naruto and Sayuri remained wary.

"What makes you think that we have both scrolls?" Naruto questioned.

Kabuto smiled, "You show no panic or urgency. You're taking your time heading to the tower. If you didn't already have both scrolls, you'd be scrambling to find one before it's too late," he explained. "So, as you can see, we have no quarrel. After all, outside of the exam, we're Hidden Leaf comrades."

"So what?" Naruto continued, causing Kabuto's brows to raise in surprise. "That doesn't mean we should trust you. A lot of people in this exam have shown that they have their own motives that supersede the scrolls. How can we know that you aren't one of those people?"

Sayuri nodded in agreement. Credit where credit was due, Naruto was more perceptive than she was probably willing to admit. Sayuri's thoughts immediately shifted to Orochimaru and the Hidden Sound team. They clearly had no interest in the Chūnin Exams and were merely using it to execute their own mysterious goals.

After taking a few moments to process Naruto's almost accusatory question, Kabuto smirked and adjust his glasses, "I'm impressed, Naruto. You're a true shinobi after all," he complimented. "You're right, I do have my own motives. But I feel confident that they align with yours. May I have a seat?"

A few moments passed, but Naruto eventually nodded. Quick to accept the invitation, Kabuto sat down opposite Team 7 and began to warm his hands over the fire. As Sayuri observed his behavior, she had to admit that he was an incredible actor if he actually was actually a threat. Kabuto truly came off as a harmless person, right down to his mannerisms.

"Thank you," Kabuto said after settling in. "Well, like you, I'm trying to safely make it to the tower. However, the only difference is that my teammates and I were separated. More than a minor inconvenience, you can imagine."

Team 7 didn't need to think hard to know what that was like.

"Anyway, now that I've managed to acquire the scrolls that we need, I'm meeting my team at the tower," Kabuto continued. "But, as I'm sure you've already figured out yourselves, a lot of teams are going to be staking out the perimeter of the tower in hopes of getting the scroll that they need. It'll be dangerous to travel there alone."

"So, you want to tag along with us?" Naruto asked with a frown. He'd been offered this deal before. Needless to say, it didn't work out well for him last time.

Kabuto simply nodded.

"Why should we agree to that?" Sayuri interjected. "What do you have to offer us in exchange for protection?"

Even under normal conditions, Sayuri was hardly a charitable person. However, the Forest of Death had the habit of rendering even the kindest people completely paranoid. Therefore, Sayuri was feeling even less helpful than she normally did.

Seemingly prepared for such a question, Kabuto smirked confidently, "I'm actually glad that you were the one to ask," he said — speaking to Sayuri specifically. "I happen to be a medical-nin, and from what I can tell, you're in serious need of some treatment."

Team 7 had mixed reactions. Both Naruto and Sayuri were suspicious of the fact that Kabuto was aware of the latter's physical condition. On the other hand, Sakura was secretly thrilled to be talking to a medical-nin. Up until this point, she had been completely self-taught, so she was kind of hoping that Naruto and Sayuri would accept Kabuto's offer so she could ask him for some tips.

"Sakura already used her medical ninjutsu and it didn't work," Sayuri responded.

"Can I assume that Sakura is a novice?" Kabuto asked. When he earned a nod of confirmation from Sakura, he continued. "Well, I have experience using medical ninjutsu that extends back to before I was ever even a shinobi. I'm sure that I'll be able to help."

Admittedly, the prospect of having an experienced medic on their side was very appealing. Especially for Sakura, seeing as Kabuto was the first real medic-nin that she had ever met. There was undoubtedly an opportunity for her to learn. However, more importantly, Kabuto could possibly be able to get Sayuri back in fighting shape.

"I don't know anything about medical ninjutsu. How can I be sure that you're not trying to hurt her?" Naruto asked with crossed arms. Sayuri's face nearly became red in embarrassment. Feeling so vulnerable was incredibly humiliating.

Kabuto smiled and adjusted his glasses, "What kind of fool would I be to tangle with both of this year's top rookies?" he retorted. "Besides, once this exam ends, we'll all be returning to the same village. If I betray you now, what will stop you from getting revenge on me later?"

Despite Kabuto's explanation, Naruto hardly appeared convinced. He prepared to speak once more but stopped when Sayuri raised one of her hands in a request of silence, "It's fine," she interjected. "Anything to keep me from having to be carried around for the rest of the exam."

Naruto frowned but remained silent. Clearly, he respected Sayuri's right to make decisions for herself — which she appreciated. She didn't trust Kabuto all the much either. Still, she was also aware that Naruto would be able to take him out quickly if anything happened.

Once he was given permission to evaluate her, Kabuto asked Sayuri questions about her condition. Once she was finished, he reached out with pale green chakra around his hand and began to hover it over her body. Almost immediately, Sayuri started to feel the dull pain vanish. Once Kabuto was finished, he released the jutsu and began to dig around inside his weapons pouch and pulled out a small bottle of pills.

"It seems like you somehow managed to contract chakra poisoning," Kabuto explained. "Normally, my medical jutsu would be enough, but since you're in an exam, you can't afford to spend days in recovery. Take this medication every twelve hours, and in a week, you should be fine."

Sayuri observed the bottle with doubt, "What is that?"

"They're chakra pills," Kabuto said. "Right now, your chakra is being eroded, and these pills will replenish it."

With a bit of hesitation, Sayuri reached out for the bottle of pills and observed their warily. If they were going to help her regain strength in time for the next stage of the exam, she would take them without hesitation. Nevertheless, Sayuri would have been more comfortable receiving medication from someone that she trusted.

* * *

**(Evening)**

Having made steady progress on their journey, and with the end in sight, Kabuto advised that they settle in for the night. Personally, Sayuri would have preferred to head straight for the tower. Yet, apparently, a lot of teams were most active during the night. Kabuto advised that they make the final push to the tower at dawn. Sakura agreed with his strategy, and therefore, so did Naruto and Sayuri.

"You're actually very talented," Kabuto complimented as he and Sakura talked shop. "I haven't heard of a genin teaching themselves the Mystical Palm jutsu without any prior experience with medical ninjutsu."

Sayuri couldn't help but roll her eyes as Sakura blushed at the praise.

"Well — I mean — I had a scroll that explained how the jutsu worked," Sakura sputtered. It was clear that she wasn't quite used to being the center of attention.

Kabuto smiled and adjusted his glasses, "All the more impressive," he said. "Would you be interested in reading some of my notes? A lot of it is from when I was beginning to learn medical ninjutsu. You might find it helpful."

As Sakura's eyes lit up at the opportunity, Sayuri felt that now was the time to take her leave. She still didn't like Kabuto, but at the same time, she didn't want to interfere with Sakura's development. Upon looking around their camp, Sayuri saw Naruto manning the perimeter. It was his turn to keep watch, but that didn't mean that she couldn't tag along for a bit.

Upon crouching down at his side, neither Sayuri nor Naruto spoke. At first, she didn't know whether he noticed that she had moved to his side. Yet, after a while, Naruto acknowledged Sayuri's presence and ended the silence.

"Was their nerd-talk really boring enough to drive you over here?" Naruto joked.

Looking back over her shoulder, Sayuri saw Sakura and Kabuto pouring over a notebook and felt that Naruto's description of the duo was fairly accurate. Nevertheless, he wasn't exactly correct in his assumption of why she left. It was less the topic of conversation and more the person that Sakura was conversing with.

Sayuri scowled, "I don't like that guy," she explained simply.

Naruto's lips straightened into a thin line, but he didn't elaborate as to whether he agreed or not. He'd already made his opinion on Kabuto known earlier in the day. He only ever agreed to the older genin's terms because Sayuri needed help. Otherwise, he would have never considered letting someone else tag along with them. Admittedly, Kabuto's experience had proven to be rather useful thus far, but still.

"You don't like anybody," Naruto countered with a smirk.

Was that true? Six months ago, Sayuri would have agreed. In fact, she specifically remembered saying during her introduction to Team 7 that she didn't particularly like anything. And yet, as time passed, she couldn't just ignore the time that she had spent with her team. Even Sayuri couldn't remain a complete loner when working so closely with other people for six months.

After a few moments of consideration, Sayuri responded, "I like you."

Usually, Sayuri would never admit something like that to anyone — even Naruto. Their bond was more of an unspoken fellowship that was rarely reinforced with words. Yet, for some reason, tonight felt different. After they were separated when Orochimaru attacked, Sayuri had no idea where Naruto was or how he was doing. She was confident enough in his strength to assume that he would make it, but deep down, she knew that there was a slim possibility that he would never return.

"Hmm, I guess you're pretty alright too," Naruto said with a small smile — one that was a bit warmer than usual. For some reason, Sayuri felt her heart flutter as she witnessed the brief flash of contentment on his face.

At this point, Sayuri was comfortable admitting that Naruto was probably the most important person currently in her life. He accepted her for who she was and didn't view her as some broken soul that needed to be repaired. That was often what prevented her from respecting any of her peers during her time at the Academy. They either didn't know anything about her, or when they did, they felt that she needed fixing.

"I have something that I need to tell you," Sayuri suddenly said — blunt as ever.

She received a bewildered look from Naruto in response, "If this is some kind of love confession, I feel like you could have set the mood a little better," he remarked. "I mean, a creepy forest hardly screams romance."

As if to illustrate his point, the sound of another participant wailing in terror echoed through the night.

"See?"

Sayuri shook her head in annoyance, "You think too highly of yourself," she deadpanned. Her expression then grew more serious. "It's nothing like that. It's about the Land of Waves."

Naruto's brows rose at the unexpected topic, "What about it?"

Sayuri struggled to find the right words for what she was trying to say. Contrary to what most would believe, she was hardly a wordsmith — and yes, that was obvious sarcasm.

"I overheard your conversation with Haku in the woods," Sayuri revealed, deciding that she didn't have the social skills to beat around the bush, even if she wanted to. "I was out trying to find you since you didn't return for breakfast and accidentally heard everything."

Unsure what she had been expecting, Sayuri was mildly surprised when her confession was met with silence. When she looked over at Naruto to gauge his reaction further, she found that he was merely staring at her. Frankly, Sayuri had expected anger, or at the very least mild annoyance. It's how she knew she would have felt were she in his position.

"Is that why you told me about your clan?" Naruto asked.

Sayuri nodded, "I felt that you'd be able to understand — and that you deserved to know."

Almost immediately, Sayuri felt a weight lifted off of her shoulders. For months now, she had been living with the burden of knowing Naruto's secret, and now she was finally able to get that off of her chest. The fact that he responded so maturely also made Sayuri's admiration for him grow even further.

"If you want to ask me about it, I'll tell you," Naruto suddenly spoke up, earning a shocked look from Sayuri.

It took a moment for Sayuri to process Naruto's words. Perhaps it was because the cat was already out of the bag, but it seemed as though he was opening up to the possibility of discussing his past. Were she a more sentimental person, Sayuri would have definitely marked this moment down as a significant milestone in their friendship. Yet, practical as she was, she focused more on determining which questions she wanted answered most.

"This person who took everything from you…what exactly did they do?" Sayuri began. It was the most obvious question to ask first.

Naruto released a slow breath and interlocked his fingers together as he gathered the will to discuss such a painful topic. However, he recognized that Sayuri was someone who suffered similar hardships throughout her life. If she could find the strength to tell him about her suffering, then he could do the same for her.

"On the night that I was born, a man interfered with my birth and killed my parents," Naruto explained. "I don't know who he is or why he did it, but I'm gonna find out."

The night of Naruto's birth? That immediately eliminated Itachi as Sayuri's prime suspect. Naruto described his parent's killer as a man, and at that time, her brother was only five years old. Secretly, Sayuri was a bit relieved to learn that Itachi couldn't have been involved. At this point, she wasn't sure if she could stomach any more secret revelations involving her brother's past. Discovering that he killed their entire clan was enough.

At this point, Sayuri only had one other question, "Did he have the Sharingan?" she asked.

Naruto looked at Sayuri and frowned, "Was it that obvious?" he said. Naruto quickly realized that she must have deduced that fact based on his reaction to seeing her Sharingan for the first time. "Yeah, he did, but only in his right eye — at least as far as I know. He wore a mask."

A masked shinobi with only one Sharingan. Who did that remind Sayuri of? She knew that Kakashi obviously wasn't responsible. Still, the comparison did highlight the possibility that the person who killed Naruto's parents didn't necessarily have to be an Uchiha. For obvious reasons, Sayuri was hoping for that to be the case. With Itachi still lurking around, her clan had enough bastards dragging their name through the mud.

"One day, he'll get what he deserves," Sayuri assured before glaring at the ground. She was saying that to herself as much as she was to Naruto. If someone like that didn't get the justice they deserved, then Sayuri would lose what little faith she had left in the world.

Naruto nodded in quiet agreement. For another few minutes, he and Sayuri didn't talk. This time, however, the silence was almost soothing and didn't forebode any uncomfortable talk. Sayuri was sure that there were still secrets between them, but that was normal.

"Thanks for telling me. You didn't have to, but you did anyway," Naruto spoke softly as he looked up at the night sky. "You're a good friend, ya know?"

Sayuri looked over to Naruto, and her entire world froze. Seeing this real, vulnerable side of him was so different than what she was used to. Naruto was always so guarded, usually hiding behind a blithe persona. Sayuri learned to like that version of Naruto over time — but these tender moments with him were what she was beginning to cherish most. It was through such moments that she realized she wanted to know his true self even more.

The moonlight then broke through the clouds and illuminated Naruto's face. Oddly enough, observing him under such a light made Sayuri feel like she was seeing him for the very first time. Her heart began to beat rapidly in her chest, and her cheeks subsequently reddened. Thankfully, Naruto had no clue that he was being watched, so Sayuri wasn't caught in such a compromising position. It was only when the moonlight was obscured once more that she was sent right back to reality.

Internally, Sayuri vowed to pretend that moment never happened.

* * *

**~End~**

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be the preliminary matches.**


End file.
